Technical system design and construction of China’s HJ-1 satellites

摘要

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to applications of satellite remote sensing in environmental monitoring. On 6 September 2008, the first two satellites of the Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Prediction Satellite Constellation (HJ), HJ-1A and HJ-1B, were successfully launched, which started a new era of satellite applications for environmental monitoring in China. An introduction to the satellite, instrument, and ground systems of HJ-1A and HJ-1B is presented in this article, and an analysis of their technical performance and characteristics is also given. Focusing on the operational needs of environmental monitoring in China, the general design, functional construction, and operational mode of the application system of HJ-1A and HJ-1B are detailed, and the operations and applications of the two satellites are also discussed.