China Launches Tianyi-48 and Four AI-Powered Satellites Aboard Kinetica-1 Rocket
China successfully launched five satellites into sun-synchronous orbit on July 24, 2026, using a Kinetica-1 (Lijian-1) solid-fuel rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. The mission, designated as the 15th flight of the Kinetica-1 rocket, deployed the Tianyi-48, Gande-1-01, Xiguang-2-03, Jitianxing-A-04, and Yinglong Fengguang-1 satellites — four of which carry onboard artificial intelligence capabilities for applications ranging from remote sensing to orbital computing, according to Xinhua News.
Mission Details
The rocket lifted off at 07:33 Beijing time (late on July 23 UTC) from Launch Area 130 at the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Zone within the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia. The China National Space Administration confirmed that all five satellites successfully entered their predetermined orbits, declaring the mission a complete success.
The Kinetica-1 Y15 rocket, developed by CAS Space — a commercial spin-off of the Chinese Academy of Sciences — is a four-stage solid-propellant launch vehicle standing approximately 30 meters tall. It can deliver roughly 1,500 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit or 2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit.
The Five Satellites
Tianyi-48: Pioneering Space-Based Data Centers
Also designated Chenguang-1, the Tianyi-48 satellite was developed by Orbital Chenguang with support from SpaceTY and the Tianyi Research Institute. It serves as a technology demonstration satellite for space-based data centers, testing thermal dissipation and electrical power management systems needed for future gigawatt-class orbital compute centers. The satellite carries onboard AI for processing remote sensing data and represents the first step in a methodical plan backed by tens of billions of Yuan in Chinese investment, as detailed by China in Space.
Gande-1-01: Space Debris Monitoring
Developed by Liangxi Space Technology Group and Aotian Technology Beijing, the Gande-1-01 satellite is dedicated to space debris monitoring. Equipped with wide-field and precision tracking cameras, it uses onboard AI models to distinguish human-made objects from stars. This is the first satellite of a planned constellation designed for debris tracking and emergency alerts, with later satellites working in tandem.
Xiguang-2-03: Meteorological Observation
Also known as the Fuxi Meteorological Satellite, this approximately 200-kilogram spacecraft was developed by Xinghuo Chuanming Beijing Technology. It performs infrared remote sensing at resolutions of 1.28, 5, and 12.5 meters, processing data locally through onboard AI and beaming results back at up to 100 gigabits per second via optical laser link. It is the first of up to 230 planned satellites in the constellation, with variants weighing as little as 8 kilograms.
Jitianxing-A-04: Orbital Computing
Developed by Zhejiang Lab, this satellite continues development of China’s Three-Body Computing Constellation. It trials new compute capabilities powered by GPUs from MetaX Integrated Circuits and is equipped with AI models for health management, systems planning, and task scheduling.
Yinglong Fengguang-1: Commercial Weather Forecasting
Built by Shanghai Xuntian Qianhe Space Technology for Jiangsu Yinglong Satellite Technology, this commercial weather satellite carries a microwave temperature and humidity sounder alongside infrared cameras for weather forecasting, early disaster warning, and environmental monitoring.
Accelerating Commercial Launch Cadence
This launch marks the 51st Chinese orbital launch of 2026 and continues CAS Space’s impressive monthly flight cadence, with missions in April, May, June, and now July. The company’s factory in Guangzhou is accelerating production to support this pace, and CAS Space believes its teams can sustain a monthly mission cadence as long as flight hardware is available at Jiuquan.
China’s commercial space sector is rapidly maturing. In 2025, the country completed 50 commercial launches — 54 percent of total national launches — and 2026 is expected to exceed 60 commercial launches, with total national launches exceeding 100. The Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Zone has become a key hub for these operations.
Strategic Implications
The mission showcases the growing integration of AI capabilities in Chinese spacecraft, with four of five satellites carrying onboard AI processing. China has positioned itself as a global leader in space-based computing efforts, with multiple technical working groups supporting enterprises pursuing orbital AI computing. The variety of satellite missions — from debris monitoring and weather forecasting to orbital computing and remote sensing — illustrates the rapid diversification of China’s commercial space ecosystem.
What to Watch
CAS Space is also developing the larger Kinetica-2 (Lijian-2) rocket for heavier payloads, while multiple new Chinese commercial rockets — including the Long March-10, Deep Blue Aerospace’s Nebula-1, and reusable vehicles — are expected to debut in the coming months. The successful deployment of the Chenguang-1 space-based data center demonstrator also signals China’s strategic bet on orbital computing infrastructure, a field where it currently leads globally.