4月16日9时36分，我国首颗低倾角轨道降水测量卫星——风云三号G星（风云三号G星即风云三号07星），搭乘长征四号乙遥五十一运载火箭，在酒泉卫星发射中心成功发射。这是继美国、日本联合发射专用降水测量卫星之后国际上第三颗发射的主动降水测量卫星，全球降水星家族首添“中国造”。自此，我国成为全球唯一同时业务运行晨昏、上午、下午和倾斜四条近地轨道气象卫星的国家。
降水是地球能量和水循环的重要过程，是天气预报的重要要素，国际社会高度关注。从2006年起，中国气象局高位部署，对标国际前沿，坚持科技自立自强，逐步推进降水星的立项研制和科技攻关。该卫星作为世界气象组织框架下全球降水探测的重要组成部分，可显著增强全球气候变化背景下灾害性天气系统云和降水监测、预报及气象防灾减灾救灾能力。
风云三号G星配置了降水测量雷达、微波成像仪、中分辨率光谱成像仪、全球导航卫星掩星探测仪等4台业务载荷，其主载荷降水测量雷达是国内首次研制，整星采用主动降水测量与被动微波、光学成像遥感相结合的方案，并通过中继技术开展业务数传，实现全球中低纬度地区云和降水参数的高精度遥感探测，技术指标达到国际先进水平。其地面系统可为业务应用提供数算一体的数据和IT资源支撑平台，以实现业务数据全流程质量监视。
风云三号G星考核寿命为6年，由中国航天科技集团有限公司第八研究院抓总研制，卫星载荷由中国航天科技集团有限公司、中国科学院等单位研制，发射、测控任务由中国卫星发射系统部组织实施，地面应用系统由中国气象局负责研制建设和运行。
未来6个月，风云三号G星将按照“边测试、边应用、边服务”思路开展在轨测试，以充分验证卫星平台、载荷、星地一体化指标，并全力应对主汛期暴雨、台风等气象灾害。
根据计划，我国还将在今年8月发射一颗风云三号上午星。
目前，我国共有8颗风云气象卫星在轨业务运行，正持续为全球126个国家和地区提供数据产品和服务。
China's first satellite allowing scientists to monitor the Earth's precipitation from space, Fengyun-3G (FY-3G), was sent into space on April 16. It is one of only three such satellites in the world.
The satellite, which is dedicated to measure precipitation on Earth, will help Chinese scientists to predict precipitation more accurately thanks to its launch on Sunday.
With a lifespan of six years, the FY-3G is developed by an institute of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, and its ground system will be built and operated by the China Meteorological Administration.
The 20th member of the Fengyun series, the FY-3G will highlight the strength of China's low-orbit meteorological satellite constellation and significantly improve the early warning capability for global rainstorms, said Chen Zhenlin, head of the central meteorological observatory.
In the past, precipitation data was obtained mainly by ground-based rain gauges and radar. However, equipment shortages and uneven distribution made it difficult to acquire large-scale and high-precision information.
Ground devices have blind spots, but satellites can overcome this deficiency, making data available for places where ground-based measurements are sparse, said Zhang Peng, deputy director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center.
To increase the accuracy of precipitation monitoring and early warning, scientists have also mounted dual-frequency precipitation measurement radar on FY-3G, which will enable the satellite to accurately observe a drizzle, even at an altitude of 407 kilometers.
Qian Bin, the chief designer of the FY-3G, said the satellite adopts a low-inclination orbit, with an inclination of 50 degrees. It will provide precipitation data mainly within the range of 50 degrees north latitude to 50 degrees south latitude.
In the next six months, FY-3G will undergo in-orbit tests and meet the challenges of meteorological disasters such as rainstorms and typhoons in the upcoming flood season, according to the meteorological administration.
China currently has eight Fengyun meteorological satellites in orbit, providing data and services to 126 countries and regions.
