A general name (translated as "wind and cloud," frequently abbreviated FY) for several series of meteorological satellites maintained by the People�s Republic of China. The FY-1 series of sun-synchronous, polar-orbiting satellites was initiated with the launch of experimental satellites in 1988 and 1990. The first operational satellite in this series (FY-1C) was launched in May 1999. The FY-1C and FY-1D satellites have a 10-channel imaging instrument with four visible channels, three in the near-infrared, one in the short infrared, and two in the thermal infrared. A separate series of geostationary meteorological satellites, designated FY-2, are positioned at 105�E longitude. The first satellite in this series was launched in June 1997. The most recent Satellite FY-2D, with capabilities similar to the Japanese GMS-5, was launched in 2007.