China has successfully launched its first domestic hyperspectral satellite, which can observe the Earth's surface with high precision and process data directly in orbit using artificial intelligence.
The satellite, named Xiguang-2 01 (Caiyun Hyperspectral 01), was launched on July 22 at 10:54 Beijing time by a Gravity-1 Y4 rocket. The developers said that the device was successfully placed in the planned orbit and all its systems are operating normally.
The satellite was developed by Xi'an Zhongke Xiguang Aerospace Technology Group at the request of the Geological Exploration Bureau of Yunnan Province. It is the first representative of the Caiyun series and is considered China's first satellite to combine hyperspectral imaging with artificial intelligence-based data processing.
The new device has a spatial resolution of 10 meters and a spectral resolution of 7 nanometers in the visible and near-infrared range. The satellite can collect hyperspectral data of up to 1 million square kilometers of the Earth's surface within a day.
The main innovation of the project is the processing of part of the data directly on the satellite itself using artificial intelligence. This approach allows for faster selection of the most important information, reducing the amount of data to be transmitted to Earth, and speeding up the analysis process.
The technology is expected to provide higher accuracy in geological exploration, natural resource monitoring, agricultural and environmental research.
With the launch of Xiguang-2 01 into orbit, the number of satellite constellations of Zhongke Xiguang Aerospace has exceeded 12.
