Beijing: A Chinese Earth observation constellation, recently expanded with the addition of two new satellites launched into orbit in late February, is poised to provide global services. The satellites are designed to target the global market and compete with international leaders in commercial remote sensing, such as U.S.-based Maxar and Europe’s Airbus.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the developer of the constellation, reported that these satellites will support various applications including maritime traffic monitoring, law-enforcement surveillance, and obtaining high-resolution images of disaster-affected areas following events like floods, fires, and earthquakes.
The launch was executed using a Long March-2C carrier rocket, which successfully placed the satellites, Siwei Gaojing-1 03 and Siwei Gaojing-1 04, into their designated orbit on February 27. Ground stations received the first data transmissions from the satellites last Saturday, featuring images with clear textures, realistic colors, and rich layers.
An official from CASC highlighted that these new satellites are the leading commercial remote sensing satellites in China in terms of spatial resolution and geometric accuracy. They incorporate ultra-agile control technology, providing high-definition “anti-shake imaging.” Additionally, real-time monitoring technology for the camera’s line of sight allows for sub-arc-second-level precision, elevating their image positioning accuracy to the international advanced level.
The Siwei satellite network currently comprises nine satellites, with plans to expand to 28, including 16 high-resolution optical satellites, 4 wide-swath optical satellites, and 8 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. Depending on market demand, the constellation could further expand to 56 satellites.
China has previously deployed other satellite constellations for remote sensing, including the Jilin-1 constellation, which began with its first satellite group launch in October 2015. This constellation now includes over 117 satellites, capable of observing any point on the globe approximately 40 times daily. It can cover the globe six times a year and China 24 times annually, serving more than 130 overseas users in areas such as land surveys, urban investigations, agriculture, and forestry.
Additionally, the Nuwa project, China’s largest commercial radar remote sensing constellation, consists of 12 satellites currently in orbit and aims to establish an interconnected platform with 114 satellites for a more extensive SAR hybrid constellation. The country’s remote sensing satellite constellation also includes the Gaofen series Earth observation satellites.