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China launches satellite for natural disaster monitoring

China launches satellite for natural disaster monitoring

Al Etihad14 hours ago

14 June 2025 17:19
JIUQUAN (AGENCIES) China launched an electromagnetic monitoring satellite on Saturday, which is expected to enhance the country's "space-air-ground" integrated monitoring capabilities for major natural disasters, China's state news agency (Xinhua) reported.A Long March-2D carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 3:56 p.m. (Beijing Time), successfully sending the Zhangheng 1-02 satellite into its planned orbit, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).The CNSA said that this marks a significant step forward for China in the field of space-based observation of the Earth's physical fields.Named after the ancient Chinese inventor Zhang Heng, who created the world's first seismoscope over 1,800 years ago, the satellite was jointly developed by China and Italy. It is the first operational satellite dedicated to exploring the Earth's physical fields under China's medium and long-term civil space infrastructure development plan, according to the CNSA.With a designed lifespan of six years, the satellite is equipped with nine payloads, including an electric field detector co-developed by China and Italy, as well as a high-energy particle detector developed by Italy.It will carry out quasi-real-time monitoring of global electromagnetic fields, electromagnetic waves, the ionosphere and the neutral atmosphere, detecting electromagnetic anomalies caused by geological and human activities, as well as monitoring thunderstorm and lightning activity, according to CNSA."Scientists will use these data to study the correlation between changes in the Earth's physical fields and geological activities, and to support research on the prediction of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather, and space weather disasters," said Peng Wei, Deputy Director of the System Engineering Department of the CNSA.The satellite will significantly enhance China's early perception, risk assessment, and monitoring and early warning capabilities for major natural disasters, Peng added.
It will also provide data support for emergency management, resource mapping, and communications and navigation industries, while fostering scientific and technological cooperation in related fields among countries and regions along the Belt and Road.

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China launches satellite for natural disaster monitoring
China launches satellite for natural disaster monitoring

Al Etihad

time14 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

China launches satellite for natural disaster monitoring

14 June 2025 17:19 JIUQUAN (AGENCIES) China launched an electromagnetic monitoring satellite on Saturday, which is expected to enhance the country's "space-air-ground" integrated monitoring capabilities for major natural disasters, China's state news agency (Xinhua) reported.A Long March-2D carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 3:56 p.m. (Beijing Time), successfully sending the Zhangheng 1-02 satellite into its planned orbit, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).The CNSA said that this marks a significant step forward for China in the field of space-based observation of the Earth's physical after the ancient Chinese inventor Zhang Heng, who created the world's first seismoscope over 1,800 years ago, the satellite was jointly developed by China and Italy. It is the first operational satellite dedicated to exploring the Earth's physical fields under China's medium and long-term civil space infrastructure development plan, according to the a designed lifespan of six years, the satellite is equipped with nine payloads, including an electric field detector co-developed by China and Italy, as well as a high-energy particle detector developed by will carry out quasi-real-time monitoring of global electromagnetic fields, electromagnetic waves, the ionosphere and the neutral atmosphere, detecting electromagnetic anomalies caused by geological and human activities, as well as monitoring thunderstorm and lightning activity, according to CNSA."Scientists will use these data to study the correlation between changes in the Earth's physical fields and geological activities, and to support research on the prediction of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather, and space weather disasters," said Peng Wei, Deputy Director of the System Engineering Department of the satellite will significantly enhance China's early perception, risk assessment, and monitoring and early warning capabilities for major natural disasters, Peng added. It will also provide data support for emergency management, resource mapping, and communications and navigation industries, while fostering scientific and technological cooperation in related fields among countries and regions along the Belt and Road.

China's asteroid mission aims to uncover Solar System's oldest secrets
China's asteroid mission aims to uncover Solar System's oldest secrets

The National

timea day ago

  • The National

China's asteroid mission aims to uncover Solar System's oldest secrets

China 's latest deep space mission aims to investigate whether rocky debris ejected from planetary surfaces in the early Solar System could have helped distribute life's key ingredients across space. The Tianwen -2 spacecraft, launched on May 29, is on its way to collect material from a small near-Earth asteroid that may be a piece of the Moon. After that, it will travel even farther to study a mysterious object in the asteroid belt that behaves like a comet. Researchers hope the samples will offer fresh clues about how planets like Earth were formed, and whether rocks could have travelled between worlds, carrying water, organic molecules or even microbes with them. 'We selected two targets for this mission: the asteroid 2016 HO3 and the main-belt comet 311P,' said Chen Chunliang from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. 'Both targets hold significant scientific value. The mission allows us to develop new asteroid exploration technologies while collecting data that could help us better understand how the Solar System began.' The asteroid, also known as Kamoʻoalewa, is a strange little object just 40 metres wide. It orbits the Sun in sync with Earth, making it a 'quasi-moon', an asteroid that stays close to our planet but does not orbit it directly. Its exact origin is uncertain, but one leading theory suggests it may be a chunk of the Moon that was blasted into space by an ancient impact. Prof Erik Asphaug, a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona, said the asteroid is a perfect example of the mix of space rocks that circle near Earth, including pieces of the Moon, dead comets, broken-up asteroids and leftovers from the early Solar System. 'By studying samples from what may be a fragment of the Moon, scientists can figure out how intense the impact was that launched it into space, and whether those conditions could have been survivable for tiny life forms on a planet like Mars,' he said. That idea ties into a scientific theory known as panspermia, the possibility that life, or the ingredients for it, may have travelled between planets inside rocks ejected by powerful impacts. Scientists are also interested in the asteroid's size and spin rate. It completes one rotation every 28 minutes, which is too fast for loosely held-together pile of rocks to stay intact. Mr Asphaug said this could suggest that the asteroid is a single solid piece of rock, or a monolith. 'But how do you eject a 40 metre intact chunk of rock from the Moon, when to escape it has to be accelerated to lunar escape velocity, which is about 2 kilometres a second? This is five times faster than a high-powered rifle bullet,' he said. 'That is the geophysical adventure of Tianwen-2. The compositional adventure may be less stunning, if indeed it is a fragment of the lunar crust, but there's a great deal to learn from its process of ejection,' said Mr Asphaug. 'And I guess there's a small chance that we'll be completely surprised, that it's not a fragment of the Moon at all, in which case there is a lot of explaining to do.' Tianwen-2 will attempt to return samples from the asteroid to Earth by 2027. After completing that phase, the spacecraft will use an Earth gravity assist to journey to comet 311P/PANSTARRS, an object in the asteroid belt that occasionally shoots comet-like tails. The second part of the mission will take several more years, with the spacecraft studying the comet's surface and behaviour in detail. 'In space exploration it has become obvious that there is a most-bang-for-the-buck way of going about asteroid and comet exploration,' said Mr Asphaug. 'Consider Nasa's OSIRIS-REx asteroid rendezvous mission … having returned its sample, now it is heading to a second rendezvous, this time with asteroid Apophis. 'But this secondary mission was not part of the original mission so is subject to ongoing budgetary pressure.' Japan also has a similar mission, with the Hayabusa2 having successfully returning samples of the Ryugu asteroid in 2020, and is now heading towards another small asteroid. China's mission builds on the country's growing portfolio of successful robotic space flights. In 2020, Chang'e-5 returned samples from the Moon's near side. Two years later, Chang'e-6 brought back the first samples from the Moon's far side − another global first. The Tianwen-2 mission also comes at a time when Nasa is struggling with major budget cuts, forcing delays and downsizing across several of its flagship science programmes, including plans for Mars sample return. China is developing its own Mars sample return programme, potentially launching later this decade.

Hamdan bin Mohammed Strengthens UAE Space Sector with Startup Collaboration Push
Hamdan bin Mohammed Strengthens UAE Space Sector with Startup Collaboration Push

Hi Dubai

time3 days ago

  • Hi Dubai

Hamdan bin Mohammed Strengthens UAE Space Sector with Startup Collaboration Push

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Supreme Space Council, has reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to becoming a global leader in the space industry by meeting with top executives from emerging space startups operating in the country. Held in the UAE, the meeting brought together representatives from pioneering companies across the local space sector, including those developing AI systems, Earth observation microsatellites, reusable launch systems, and IoT-driven space technologies. The session focused on boosting public-private collaboration, fostering innovation, and expanding global competitiveness. Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that strategic partnerships and innovation are vital to building a future-ready and sustainable space ecosystem. He praised the role of UAE-based entrepreneurs in driving industry growth and highlighted the sector's significance in powering long-term economic development. Participants outlined their investment strategies, current projects, and plans for international expansion, aligning with the UAE's vision of a diversified and technology-driven economy. They commended the country's regulatory flexibility and infrastructure, noting the value of initiatives such as the Space Economic Zones Programme. The meeting was attended by key figures in the space ecosystem, including Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Space Council, and leaders of companies like Rimal, 4EI, Marlan Space, Aliensense, Oryx Space, and Aspire Space Technology. With over three decades of national investment in space technologies, the UAE continues to position itself as a hub for innovation, talent, and high-impact collaboration, setting the stage for the next chapter in its journey beyond Earth. News Source: Emirates News Agency

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