FY-3G Satellite Instruments and Precipitation Products: First Report of China’s Fengyun Rainfall Mission In-Orbit

Abstract

Precipitation is one of the most important parameters in Earth system but is hard to measure. China began to develop satellites dedicated to precipitation measurements in the second generation of the FengYun polar-orbiting meteorological satellite program (FY-3). The first of total 2 rainfall missions scheduled, FY-3G, was successfully launched on 16 April 2023 and became the world’s third satellite to measure precipitation with space-borne radar after the tropical rainfall measuring mission in 1997 and global precipitation measurement core observatory in 2014. In this manuscript, we illustrate the platform of FY-3G and instruments mounted in great detail, with additional information about ground segments, designed sensor-based products, and retrieval of geophysical parameters. During the 4 months after launch, the specifications of the platform and instruments are under inspection as calibration and validation are carefully conducted. The first images captured by FY-3G are encouraging, and initial results show a strong capability for providing insights into all kinds of precipitation phenomena. The important work of data processing, such as data assimilation, data fusion between space-based and ground-based radar, and that between polar and geostationary satellites, as well as future applications in weather modification, has been prepared in advance. As a pioneer of China’s rainfall missions, FY-3G greatly improves our ability to provide global precipitation measurements, understand Earth’s water and energy cycle, and forecast extreme events for the benefit of society.