These Two “Autonomous Driving” Commercial Satellites Developed by Shanghai Aerospace Were Successfully Launched
At 7:39 on November 25, the SuperView-2 03 and 04 satellites were launched into orbit by a Long March-2C carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The satellites accurately entered their predetermined orbit, marking a successful launch mission.
Ignition and Liftoff (Images provided by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation)
The Paper learned from the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (also known as the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology) that the satellites were developed under the leadership of the Eighth Academy. Their successful launch signifies a new milestone in China’s commercial aerospace mapping sector.
The SuperView-2 03 and 04 satellites are two high-resolution radar satellites of China’s new generation of SuperView commercial remote sensing satellite system. After forming a network with previously launched high-resolution optical and wide-field optical satellites, they will further enhance China’s leading optical SAR integrated service capabilities, and the satellite system will enter a phase of efficient collaboration.
Ready for Launch
As commercial microwave mapping satellites, both SuperView-2 03 and 04 are equipped with high-precision phased array radar payloads, capable of providing all-day, all-weather, high-resolution radar imagery, reaching world-class standards. Upon entering orbit, they will achieve, for the first time in the world, autonomous strict regression orbits at the hundred-meter level and sub-meter level fly-around formation协同 control for commercial satellites, simplifying in-orbit satellite operation and providing more meticulous and thoughtful safety guarantees, ushering in a new era of “autopilot” for commercial satellites.
Satellite Schematic
Meanwhile, the satellites adopt the latest third-generation gallium nitride TR components, increasing payload efficiency by 25%. They also utilize, for the first time in China, an integrated platform-payload design and a non-deployable phased array antenna. After entering orbit, the phase center stability will improve by 30%, significantly enhancing the accuracy of mapping products and alleviating China’s strong demand for commercial microwave mapping data.
Once operational, the satellites can quickly and efficiently produce high-precision digital elevation models (DEM) and radar orthophotos, among other products, offering broad market prospects both domestically and internationally. The satellites primarily serve natural resources, urban safety, emergency management, marine affairs, and other fields. High-resolution, high-quality radar imagery will effectively support China’s fundamental mapping updates, agricultural production, and ecological environment monitoring. It can rapidly extract disaster areas regardless of weather conditions, providing early warning and identification for flood and geological disaster zones, thereby strengthening the first line of defense against disasters.
Satellite Schematic
During the development process, the Eighth Academy team adhered to the concept of “short cycle, low cost, high performance, and high reliability” for commercial satellite development. They planned and arranged in advance, reasonably optimizing the development process. The entire satellites were transported in full state, and an innovative design was used for the satellite-mounted solar wing deployment tooling, saving time on truss or marble tooling setup preparation and significantly reducing the overall satellite AIT working time. Efficient collaborative work was achieved, completing the entire satellite’s electrical performance testing at the launch site in just one day. Through electronic means such as a data packet confirmation system, various quality confirmation tasks were carried out promptly, resulting in over 160 confirmation records and over 850 photos and videos. Critical aspects were controlled, with multiple rounds of discussions and reviews conducted on flight programs, fault contingency plans, and other flight control documents, ensuring the high quality and reliability of the satellite system.
The Long March-2C carrier rocket, developed by the First Academy, is a room-temperature liquid propellant carrier rocket and China’s first “gold medal rocket.” It has the longest service time, the widest range of uses, and the most diverse mission types, primarily used for launching low-orbit and sun-synchronous orbit satellites. It can carry out missions at the Xichang, Jiuquan, and Taiyuan launch sites. This launch was the 547th for the Long March series of carrier rockets.
