What is "huanjing"

China plans to launch eleven Huanjing satellites for disaster and environmental monitoring ("huanjing" （环境） is Chinese for "environment"). The satellites will be capable of visible, infrared, multi-spectral and synthetic aperture radar imaging.

The first two satellites, Huanjing-1A and Huanjing-1B, were launched on September 6, 2008 on a CZ-2C (i.e. Chang Zheng-2C / Long March-2C) rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. In a report dated 2008-09-03, the Associated Press of Pakistan indicated the launch would be conducted 2008-09-05 using a Long March 2C carrier rocket. On 2008-09-05, Aviation Week reported the first launch would be of optical imaging satellites.

Huanjing-1C was launched on November 16, 2012 on a CZ-2C (i.e. Chang Zheng-2C / Long March-2C) rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. It is the first civilian Chinese remote sensing satellite to use a Synthetic Aperture Radar as imaging instrument. This S-band SAR was manufactured in Russia by NPO Mashinostroenia.