Ziyuan 3-01 or ZY 3-01 (Chinese: 资源三号 meaning Resources 3) is a Chinese Earth observation satellite launched in January 2012. It is a high-resolution imaging satellite operated by the Ministry of Land and Resources of the People's Republic of China.

Ziyuan 3-01
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorMinistry of Natural Resources
COSPAR ID2012-001A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.38046
Mission duration4-5 years
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerCAST (spacecraft)
CIOMP (payload)
Launch mass2630 kg
Start of mission
Launch date9 January 2012, 03:17:00 UTC
RocketChang Zheng 4B Y26 [1]
Launch siteTaiyuan, LC-9
ContractorSAST
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[2]
RegimeSun-synchronous orbit
Perigee altitude505 km
Apogee altitude512 km
Inclination97.4°
Period94.65 minutes
Epoch9 January 2012

Spacecraft

edit

The Ziyuan 3 satellite was constructed by the China's China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), and carries three cameras produced by the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Machinery and Physics. A camera aligned normal to the Earth's surface will produce images with a spatial resolution of 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in), whilst the other two, offset at 22° forward and aft, have spatial resolutions of 4.0 metres (13.1 ft).[3] In addition to the three cameras, Ziyuan-3 carries an infrared multispectral spectrometer, with a spectral resolution of 6.0 metres (19.7 ft).[1][3] The satellite is used to provide imagery to monitor resources, land use and ecology, and for use in urban planning and disaster management.[4] It had a mass at launch of 2,630 kilograms (5,800 lb). The satellite has a planned operational lifetime of 4 years with a possible extension to 5 years.[5]

Launch

edit

Ziyuan 3 was launched by a Long March 4B carrier rocket, flying from Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The launch occurred at 03:17:00 UTC on 9 January 2012, and was the first orbital launch of the year.[1] VesselSat-2 was launched as a secondary payload on the same rocket.[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Barbosa, Rui C. (8 January 2012). "China opens 2012 with ZiYuan-3 launch via Long March 4B". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  2. ^ "ZY 3 Satellite details 2012-001A NORAD 38046". N2YO. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Ziyuan 3". SinoDefence.com. 6 January 2012. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  4. ^ 中国成功发射首颗高精度立体测绘卫星"资源三号" (in Chinese). ChinaNews.com. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  5. ^ "Display: Ziyuan-3 2012-001A". NASA. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "ZY 3A, 3B". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
edit