MOSCOW, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - China has made plans to launch marine surveillance satellites to monitor ships, oil rigs, marine disasters and land-based resources in 2019, Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday.
The new series of satellites will use synthetic aperture radar technology "capable of operating day or night… and in all weather conditions," Lin Mingsen, deputy director with the National Ocean Satellite Application Center (NSOAS) was quoted as saying by the news agency.
The new HY-3 constellation of satellites will be capable of seeing meter-long (approximately 3 feet) objects from space in addition to generating images of land and ocean surfaces from above, Xinhua reported.
"They will play an important role in reinforcing China's marine rights protection, marine law enforcement and supervision, management of its offshore waters and marine disaster relief and reduction," Mingsen was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
The satellites will be used to monitor ships and drilling platforms as well as other ocean activities including oil spills, sea ice, ocean waves and surface winds.
