China Launches Two Hyperspectral Satellites with Onboard AI
China successfully launched two Oriental Smart Eye satellites on August 5, 2026, using a sea-based Smart Dragon-3 rocket. The satellites carry advanced hyperspectral imagers and AI processors to analyze Earth surface data directly in orbit.
China put two Oriental Smart Eye (OSE) hyperspectral satellites into orbit on August 5, 2026, from a sea-based platform near Haiyang, Shandong province. The launch used a Smart Dragon-3 rocket, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The satellites are equipped with advanced hyperspectral imaging technology and onboard AI processors. This allows them to analyze land, water, vegetation, and mineral resources directly in orbit, slashing data processing time from days to minutes.
The OSE satellites represent another step in China's expanding space-based remote sensing capabilities, which increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence for faster, on-site data analysis.
Source: First Squawk