'True Color' Full-disk Earth View | China Fengyun-4B Weather Satellite

'True Color' Full-disk Earth View | China Fengyun-4B Weather Satellite

A Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) satellite true-color image of Earth captured at 13:00 Beijing Time, April 16, 2026. FY-4 is the second generation of China's geostationary meteorological satellite series. FY-4B, the second of its series, was launched on June 3rd, 2021. FY-4B is based on the SAST5000 platform with three-axis stabilization and 1553B and Spacewire dual-buses system. It has a designed life of 7 years and a launch weight of 5400kg, The main payloads onboard FY-4B are: Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager, Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder, Geostationary High-speed Imager and Space Environment Package.

Learn more about Fengyun-4B from China's National Center for Space Weather:
https://www.nsmc.org.cn/nsmc/en/satellite/FY4B.html

So far, China has launched 23 Fengyun meteorological satellites, with 10 currently in orbit. According to CMA, the network provides data services to 133 countries and regions and serves as a key engine for MAZU, an AI-powered meteorological system China launched this year to provide early warnings for all users. 

Fengyun-4C was launched on December 27, 2025 to boost the country's ability to monitor extreme weather events and high-impact climate systems with greater precision, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA). As the latest member of China's second-generation Fengyun 4 series, the new satellite will replace the aging Fengyun 4A and will operate in a network with the Fengyun 4B satellite. In addition to Earth science, the Fengyun 4C carries advanced instruments for monitoring space weather and is capable of providing early warning data for space weather disturbances, such as solar proton events.

A geostationary (GEO) satellite orbits Earth at about 35,786 km above the equator, appearing stationary relative to the ground, enabling continuous observation and communication over a fixed region. It is positioned in a circular orbit directly above the Earth's equator at an altitude of approximately 35,786 km (22,236 miles), where it completes one orbit in exactly 24 hours, matching Earth's rotation. From the ground, it appears motionless, allowing antennas to remain fixed without tracking the satellite. 

Image Credit: China's National Center for Space Weather

Acknowledgement: SegerYu
Image Date: April 16, 2026

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