Where to begin

Sichuan Province's inaugural dedicated natural resources satellite, Chuanzi-1, has successfully launched aboard the Gravity-1 rocket, entering its designated orbit. This event marks a significant advancement for the province in the field of satellite-based remote sensing for natural resources.

Why this satellite matters

The Chuanzi-1 satellite, jointly named by the Sichuan Provincial Academy of Land Science and Technology (Sichuan Satellite Application Technology Center) and Huantian Wisdom Technology Co., Ltd., is a high-resolution optical remote sensing satellite. Operating in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 535 kilometers, it boasts a ground pixel resolution of 0.5 meters. Its capabilities include stereo imaging, high pointing accuracy, stability, and agile maneuverability, allowing for a wide range of applications. These applications span land spatial planning, geological disaster prevention, farmland protection, and natural resource regulation and law enforcement, providing robust satellite remote sensing data to support resource management.

Following its successful launch, Chuanzi-1 will integrate with the Huantian Wisdom satellite constellation to operate in a network. This integration will significantly broaden the channels for acquiring satellite remote sensing imagery, establishing a collaborative optical + radar observation capability. This enables all-weather, round-the-clock, high-precision monitoring, thereby delivering a stable and high-quality satellite remote sensing imagery base for the digital governance of Sichuan Province. Looking ahead, the Sichuan Satellite Center will continue to strengthen technological innovation and satellite application empowerment, refine the mechanisms for provincial image coordination and data sharing, and actively build an integrated air-space-ground monitoring system. This strategy aims to leverage satellite remote sensing to support the province's refined and digitally intelligent natural resource management.