HY-2C HY Scatterometer

HY-2C HY Scatterometer (HSCAT-HY-2C) is the HY-2C Ku-band rotating scatterometer for near-surface ocean wind vectors.^[1][2] HY-2C launched on 21 Sep 2020, and the HSCAT payload has been active from Dec 2020 with end of life at least 2026.^[1] The Ku-band frequency is expressed as 13.256, 13.25 and 13.3 GHz at different precision levels.^[1][2][3] HSCAT uses a conically scanning two-beam geometry, with a 1 m dish rotating at 20 rpm and HH/VV spot beams at 42 and 49 degrees incidence.^[2][3] The geometry provides a 1300 km swath, 25 km standard resolution and 50 km best-quality resolution.^[2] HY-2C operates in an inclined drifting orbit at 1336 km altitude and 66 degree inclination, with drifting equator-crossing times.^[1][3] A HY-2C 50 km wind vector product has full-series coverage from 2021 onward, with OSI-115-d superseding OSI-115-b from 31 Oct 2024 onward.^[4] The payload demonstrates radar scatterometry on HY-2C.^[1]