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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.

Quick Facts Mission type, Operator ...
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
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Spacecraft

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]

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Launch

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

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