China's first precipitation measurement satellite in a low-inclination orbit, the Fengyun-3G (FY-3G), was officially put into operation on Wednesday, according to China Meteorological Administration.

Launched on April 16, 2023, FY-3G is mainly used in precipitation climatology research and systematic precipitation monitoring of disastrous weather. The satellite can provide three-dimensional structure information of precipitation in regions of middle and low latitudes.

The successful launch of the satellite made China the only country to simultaneously operate four civilian meteorological satellites in near-earth orbit, covering morning, noon, afternoon and inclined orbital paths.

The satellite has completed over six months of trial operation since Oct. 23, 2023. During the trial operation, the satellite-ground system operated stably and the satellite platform, onboard payload and satellite measurement and control all remained in normal condition. The four assessment indicators, namely data reception, data processing, product distribution and data archiving, all met the standards.