Illustration of China's FengYun-3 meteorological satellite.

[Satnews] According to China Meteorological News, China is planning to launch a CO2 monitoring satellite during 2016.

This observatory satellite—FengYun-3 (FY-3)—is designed to establish ground-based data processing as well as a verification system. The objective is for the payload to eventually deliver better than 4 ppm precision and to monitor carbon dioxide around the world. There are five components to this space-based system... the carrier rocket to launch the satellite, the actual launch site itself, as well as the measurement and control system and the ground-based app system.

The deputy director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center said, "The  NSMC will take charge of ground-based application system development of this satellite based on ground-based system of FY-3 meteorological satellite. During this year, the internal testing of ground-based system, data receiving and processing of ground-based accepting stations, data verification, new data application will be carried out."