国内英语资讯:China Focus: China launches ocean-observing satellite under closer Sino-European space coope_时事

国内英语资讯:China Focus: China launches ocean-observing satellite under closer Sino-European space coope

"The data they acquire, of remarkable social and economic benefits, will play an important role in protecting ocean environments, exploiting marine resources, preventing and reducing marine disasters, as well as improving marine science research."

CLOSE COOPERATION

During 13 years of development, the CFOSat has helped the two research teams from China and France understand each other better.

In 2005, the Chinese and French governments signed an agreement on jointly developing an oceanography satellite and an astronomical satellite, marking the beginning of the mission.

"We have been keeping very close cooperation with our French fellows throughout the whole process, from project assessment and designing, to satellite development and testing. The cooperation will be further extended to in-orbit tests and data processing," said Wang Lili with the CAST.

Giving full consideration to the demands of the French side, the Chinese team has made modifications to the CAST2000 platform, where the satellite is based, so that it can accommodate new payloads. They effectively separate the two instruments, both working at Ku band within the microwave range of frequencies, to prevent them from interfering with each other. They also create new designs to guarantee 24-hour power supply with stronger thermal control.

However, above all technical difficulties, the biggest problem the Chinese team overcame was integrating the different standards adopted by the two countries.