IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine - September 2015 - 117

and sustained and stable services. Earth observation satellite
development plan in CNSI is expected to enhance the China's satellite observation and data acquisition capability, and
strengthen the normalization, rationality and efficiency maximization of Earth observation architecture development [1].
CNSI construction will facilitate refining the existing
Earth observation satellite series, developing and launching
the new generation of atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial
observation satellite series, and achieving the capability of
data acquisition for new payloads (Fig. 6). The networking
and operation of satellites and payloads will be strengthened to form the virtual constellation's operation and service
mode, and the ground facilities for satellite data reception,
processing, distribution and application will be improved.
V. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
AND TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE
China puts great emphasis on fulfilling international obligations, actively carries out multi-level and multi-form international cooperation, especially in the following three axes:
1) Providing space technology service for regional economic, global change, major disasters prevention and
reduction etc.
2) Technical cooperation such as co-engineering and copromotion. For instance, the data exchanged via ChinaBrazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS), CFOSAT, etc.
3) Collaborate with international institutions. China has
taken part in international organizations such as Global Earth Observation (GEO), United Nations Platform
for Space-based Information for Disaster Management
and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER), CHARTER
etc., and international major plans such as Global Earth
Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) plan, supported Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization
(APSCO) for multi-mission small satellites constellation plan and so on, and also provided remote sensing services for global Earth observation, international
disaster prevention and reduction , as well as data exchange. At present, FY series, CBERS04 and GF-1 have
become an important part in the CHARTER.
China also focuses on bilateral cooperation in the field
of Earth observation, has cooperated with France, Russia,
Brazil, Venezuela, Thailand, South Africa and other country in satellite, payload, data application and other issues
in-depth cooperation. For instance, CNSA provided several
satellite data for Africa, Southeast Asian countries as well
as APSCO, supplied the emergency services for Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) and promoted the establishment of ASEAN Maritime Satellite Information Center.
VI. CONCLUSION AND PROSPECT
Currently, the development of international Earth observation has stepped into a new phase of multi-system integration, multi-operation integration. The prospect of China's
Earth observation and application is now encouraging: the
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X

FIGURE 6. China's Electromagnetic Satellite (figure above) and

Carbon-observing Satellite (figure below).
integral atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial Earth observation system is preliminarily established, and has realized the
overall development of "Integrated Space, Air and Ground
Architecture". So far, the Chinese space program has constructed the comprehensive satellite observation system with
multi-scale Earth observation capabilities: the integral atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial Earth observation system is
preliminarily established, and has realized the overall development of "Integrated Space, Air and Ground Architecture".
However, the program falls short of global observation capability. In the future, China will work with other international
organizations to construct the Earth observation network
with global observation capability. Moreover, China's Earth
observation programs will increase further exploration and
innovation, actively support the long-term monitoring, accumulation and service of significant problems such as global
change, human's subsistence and development etc.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We hereby express our sincere gratitude to the following organizations, without their help and contributions, this paper
cannot be accomplished: National Satellite Meteorological
Center, National Satellite Ocean Application Service, China
Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for
Land and Resources, China Land Surveying and Planning
Institute, National Disaster Reduction Center of China, Ministry of Environmental Protection Satellite Environmental
Application Center, Satellite Surveying and Mapping application Center, China Centre for Resources Satellite Data and
Application and other units.
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