According to Xinhua, a Smart Dragon-3 carrier rocket lifted off from waters off Haiyang in Shandong Province, delivering the Oriental Smart Eye hyperspectral satellites 01 and 02 into planned orbit. The launch drew international observers, including aerospace students from Beihang University, as the mission deployed advanced AI-powered imaging technology designed for agricultural and environmental monitoring across Indonesia and Uzbekistan.
Onboard AI and Hyperspectral Imaging Capabilities
Traditional optical cameras record only shape and color, but the payloads on this flight carry hyperspectral imagers. According to Xinhua, these sensors record a detailed spectrum for each image pixel to create spectral fingerprints that determine the condition of vegetation, water, soil, and minerals. Song Bingchen, co-founder of Star.ai Spatio-temporal Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.—whose subsidiary STAR.VISION developed the satellites—stated that the onboard AI modules deliver up to 400 trillion operations per second. Instead of beaming raw data down for ground processing, the spacecraft run inference directly in orbit, shortening delivery times from days to minutes. “It changes the traditional model from transmitting images to transmitting results,” Song said, according to Xinhua.
Did you know? Hyperspectral imaging creates unique “spectral fingerprints” for every pixel, allowing satellites to detect material composition and crop health from orbit without waiting for ground-based laboratory analysis.
Agricultural and Environmental Monitoring in Indonesia
Satellite 01, also known as Lampung-1, supports bilateral cooperation with Indonesia by focusing on Sumatra’s Lampung Province. According to Xinhua, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries accounted for 28.38 percent of the provincial economy in the third quarter of 2025. Rahmat Mirzani Djausal, governor of Indonesia’s Lampung Province, called the launch a historic moment that marks the region’s transformation into a technologically advanced area. The satellite will track crop growth, manage marine resources, and monitor disaster risks. Furthermore, Lampung plans to send more than 100 young professionals to China for training in remote sensing and satellite communications to build local operating capacity.
Cotton and Grain Tracking in Uzbekistan
Satellite 02, designated Samarkand-2028, serves cooperation projects in Uzbekistan by monitoring cotton, grain, and vegetation. According to Xinhua, Uzbekcosmos stated that hyperspectral data will produce national cotton and wheat maps, tracking crops from sowing to harvesting. Mukhiddin Ibragimov, deputy director of the Uzbekcosmos Agency, described the mission as one of the largest international space projects in the nation’s history. Ibragimov noted that an Uzbek technical team worked directly with Chinese specialists to develop an AI model focused on crop classification and verification. “We believe that partnership brings value,” Ibragimov said, according to Xinhua.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary function of the Oriental Smart Eye satellites?
According to Xinhua, the satellites use hyperspectral imagers paired with onboard AI computing modules to record detailed spectral fingerprints of Earth, enabling in-orbit data processing for agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster risk assessment.
Which countries are participating in this satellite mission?
The mission involves cooperation with Indonesia, where Satellite 01 (Lampung-1) monitors Lampung Province, and Uzbekistan, where Satellite 02 (Samarkand-2028) supports agricultural mapping, according to Xinhua.
How does onboard AI change satellite data delivery?
According to Star.ai co-founder Song Bingchen, onboard AI computing allows satellites to analyze images in space and transmit results instead of raw data, reducing delivery times from days to minutes.
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