China Launches Hyperspectral Satellites for Indonesia, Uzbekistan
China successfully launched two hyperspectral Earth observation satellites into orbit on Wednesday morning, marking a significant step in the country’s expanding remote sensing capabilities and deepening international space cooperation. The Dongfang Huiyan hyperspectral 01 and 02 satellites lifted off at 10:38 a.m. Beijing time from waters near Haiyang in Shandong Province aboard a Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3) carrier rocket, according to Xinhua News.
A Mission of International Collaboration
The two satellites, built by Chinese aerospace company STAR.VISION in cooperation with the Harbin Institute of Technology, carry payloads for two partner nations. The Lampung-1 satellite is owned by the Lampung Provincial Government of Indonesia, while the Samarkand-2028 satellite belongs to the Government of Uzbekistan, as reported by the Indonesia Business Post.
The mission, designated the “OSE Hyperspectral Twin Satellites,” represents Indonesia’s first hyperspectral satellite and a significant milestone for Uzbekistan’s space program. Each satellite weighs approximately 300 kilograms and is designed to capture images with a ground resolution of up to 5 meters across an exceptionally wide 300-kilometer swath, according to STAR.VISION.
Advanced Hyperspectral Technology
Hyperspectral imaging technology captures data across hundreds of narrow spectral bands, allowing satellites to identify the unique chemical signatures of materials on Earth’s surface. This enables applications ranging from precision agriculture and environmental monitoring to geological surveying and disaster response.
The OSE HS constellation operates in a 786-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit with a global revisit time of five days or less, and features 17 bands in the visible and near-infrared spectrum plus 5 in the short-wave infrared. The satellites also support nightlight imaging, opening new possibilities for monitoring economic activity and energy consumption.
Uzbekistan’s AI Innovation
The Samarkand-2028 satellite carries a notable technological innovation: an artificial intelligence module developed by specialists at Uzbekistan’s national space agency, Uzcosmos. This marks the first time an AI module developed by Uzbek engineers has been deployed in space, as UzDaily reported.
The AI module processes hyperspectral data directly in orbit, reducing the volume of data that must be transmitted to Earth and enabling faster access to processed information. The satellite’s data is expected to support applications in agriculture, water resource management, environmental monitoring, and early detection of emergencies across Uzbekistan.
The satellite’s name commemorates the decision to host the 79th International Astronautical Congress in Samarkand in 2028, a choice made during the 2025 congress in Sydney. The project was presented to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in December 2025, following a strategic memorandum signed between Uzcosmos and STAR.VISION in November 2025.
Indonesia’s First Hyperspectral Satellite
The Lampung-1 satellite was developed to support coastal and marine monitoring, precision agriculture, environmental surveillance, and disaster mitigation for Indonesia’s Lampung Province. The partnership was initiated through a strategic cooperation agreement signed on May 28, 2025, in Haiyang, China, involving STAR.VISION, Oriental Spaceport, and the Lampung Provincial Government.
“Together, the partners aim to build an integrated space-based intelligence platform to support agriculture, maritime monitoring, environmental management, and other sectors,” STAR.VISION said in a statement. “By combining satellite data with cutting-edge space computing capabilities, the partnership will accelerate digital transformation and sustainable development in Indonesia.”
The Jielong-3 Rocket and Sea Launch Capability
The Jielong-3 is a four-stage solid-fueled launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and operated commercially by its subsidiary China Rocket. Standing 31 meters tall and weighing 145 metric tons, the rocket can deliver up to 1,600 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, according to Wikipedia.
This mission marked the 12th flight of the Jielong-3, which has maintained a perfect success record since its maiden flight in December 2022. The launch took place from the Haiyang Oriental Spaceport in the Yellow Sea, China’s primary commercial sea launch base, which has conducted 10 launches carrying 57 satellites with a 100 percent success rate since 2019.
The sea launch capability offers significant advantages, including flexible launch point selection and reduced costs compared to traditional land-based facilities. The Haiyang spaceport has attracted 21 industrial projects and 5 commercial rocket companies with a total investment of 4 billion yuan.
Regional Safety Considerations
Prior to the launch, the Philippine Coast Guard issued a warning about potential rocket debris falling in Drop Zone 1, located approximately 94 nautical miles from Babuyan Island and 143 nautical miles from Sta. Ana, Cagayan, within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, as reported by GMA Network.
“Although the risk to Philippine territory is low, all vessels are advised to avoid the identified drop zone during the launch window and immediately report any suspected rocket debris to the nearest Philippine Coast Guard unit,” the agency stated.
Expanding the Dongfang Huiyan Constellation
The launch adds to China’s growing Dongfang Huiyan (“Eastern Wise Eye”) intelligent remote sensing constellation, an ambitious program being developed by the Yantai municipal government, Wuhan University, and Luhai Space Information Technology. The constellation plans to consist of more than 300 high-resolution optical, hyperspectral, and radar satellites with a total investment of approximately 18.5 billion yuan.
The first satellite of the constellation, Dongfang Huiyan Gaofen 01, was launched in February 2024 and is notable for being China’s first AI-enabled satellite, carrying the JigonGPT large vision-language model.
What’s Next
The successful deployment of the Dongfang Huiyan hyperspectral 01 and 02 satellites demonstrates China’s growing capability in commercial space launch services and its willingness to collaborate with international partners on advanced Earth observation technology. For Uzbekistan, the mission represents a significant step toward building domestic space expertise, while Indonesia gains a powerful new tool for environmental and agricultural monitoring.
As the Dongfang Huiyan constellation continues to expand, the data generated by these hyperspectral satellites is expected to support a wide range of applications—from precision agriculture and disaster response to urban planning and natural resource management—across Asia and beyond.