Engineering survey of the Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Forecasting Small Satellite Constellation

Abstract

The Environment and Disaster Reduction Satellite Constellation is a small satellite constellation developed by China for disaster monitoring. The two primary optical satellites, HJ-A and HJ-B, were successfully launched in September 2008. The satellites carry a charge-coupled device, hyperspectral imager, and infrared scanner, and have the capability for wide coverage and rapid revisits in disaster reduction applications. Also scheduled to be launched is the HJ-C, which will carry synthetic aperture radar and have the ability to provide all-weather observations at any time. A follow-up ‘4 + 4’ satellite constellation including four optical satellites and four radar satellites is in the works, to achieve the capability of quantitative, all-weather, all-time disaster forecasting, monitoring and assessment. The corresponding disaster reduction application system has a series of functions including remote sensing data processing, disaster monitoring and assessment, decision support, and user service and information distribution, which serves the whole process of disaster management. Since its construction has been carried out, the system has successfully dealt with several huge domestic and international natural disasters, and effectively improved scientific decision support. The follow-up system's construction will integrate, update, and extend the original system to fulfill large-scale, quantitative, all-weather disaster operation application needs.

Keywords:

• Environment and Disaster Reduction Constellation
• CCD
• HIS
• IRS
• SAR
• disaster reduction application system