Artist’s rendition of satellites orbiting the Earth – rottenman/123RF Stock Photo
This week we’re looking at the different ways China is increasing influence over the Earth Observation (EO), and wider space sector, across the globe; including supporting satellite launches, helping develop other countries capacity and capability, and new approaches to using satellite data in financial institutions.
Pakistan’s Satellite Launch
Staring with supporting satellite launches, last Saturday the Pakistan EO satellite EO-3 was successfully launched into a sun-synchronous orbit by the Chinese Long March-6 rocket from China’s Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre.
EO-3 is a high-resolution optical multispectral imaging mission, and while the precise specifications have not been disclosed, it reportedly offers a spatial resolution of around one-metre. It is also believed to offer a Multi-Geometry Imaging Module, which allows multi-angle observation and agile stereo imaging, improving terrain modelling accuracy and three-dimensional assessment of infrastructure or environmental changes. The satellite is also believed to have an AI based data processing unit onboard to support real time analysis and processing.
This is the third, and final, satellite in the EOS constellation, following previous launches in February 2026, and January 2025. The data from this constellation is expected to be used to support land mapping, agricultural monitoring, environmental and flood monitoring, urban planning, and disaster management and response. The launch of this satellite is part of direction of travel to develop sovereign EO capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign satellites.
It’s also part of Pakistan’s space sector partnership with China, something further reinforced this week with the announcement that two Pakistani ‌astronauts have been selected as candidates for China’s manned space programme, and after training one of them will not only become the first Pakistani in space, but also the first foreign astronaut aboard China’s space station.
Somalia and China Partnership
China’s development, and use, of strategic partnerships in the space sector has been increasing and recently a cooperation agreement was signed between Somali and Chinese institutions.
It brings together Somalia’s Department of Space and Satellite, which is part of the Ministry of Communications and Technology of Somalia, and China’s Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Centre, with the aim of working together to enhance the use of satellite data and remote sensing systems to aid decision making processes.
The two bodies will share knowledge to develop joint solutions to improve Somali’s use of satellite data in public administration and planning, including environmental monitoring, infrastructure planning, land use assessment, and national development programmes. It is expected that this will include training for local staff to gain experience in satellite data processing and analysis.
China’s Banks Launching Satellites
Finally, interesting news this week about how China’s banks are using satellite data to help them assess risk and understand more about their clients.
On the 14th April, the Youzheng Bank No. 1 commercial EO satellite was launched by the Postal Savings Bank of China, in collaboration with Changguang Satellite Technology Co. Ltd., from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center via the Zhi Jian-1 Remote XII rocket. It’s reported that the satellite is a high-resolution optical remote sensing satellite offering a spatial resolution of less than 50 centimetre in its panchromatic mode.
The data will used as part of the bank’s risk control system and will provide a geospatial input into the solution provide ongoing monitoring of agricultural, forestry, and construction projects to enable the bank to improve its risk management for lending decision or monitoring outstanding loans.
Although this is the first state owned Chinese bank to launch a satellite, it is not the first Chinese bank to do so. The China Merchants Bank launched the CMB Golden Sunflower No. EO satellite in February this year, and the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank launched the SPDB Digital Intelligence satellite a month earlier in January.
While some banks have been using satellite data for some time, they tend to use free-to-access or commercial data, it is more unusual for the bank themselves to launch a satellite. It is interesting to see if this trend will continue and expand to other countries.
Summary
China has long been one of the EO and space superpowers, however, it is interesting to see how their involvement in the sector is expanding beyond simply launching their own satellites. As the United States approach to EO is drawing back, it is fascinating to see how China’s influence is growing through strategic partnerships and how this could redraw the sector further in the future.
