🚀 China's Nuwa Satellite Constellation is Now Live! 🌌
Ever wondered what it's like to have eyes in the sky, 24/7? Well, China just made that a reality! Their commercial radar remote sensing constellation, Nuwa, named after the legendary goddess who created humanity, is officially operational with 12 satellites in orbit. 🛰️✨
What's the buzz? Four new PIESAT-2 satellites were launched into a 528-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit last week, joining eight others already up there. They've started beaming back high-res images and data, and it's pretty epic! 🌍📡
Space Squad Goals
- The first group of satellites forms a wheel-like configuration, with a main satellite acting as the \"hub\" and three sidekicks evenly spread around it.
- The other two groups, launched over the past two months, also rock a wheel-like formation but with four satellites each.
Why is this cool? Nuwa can now offer global coverage, including polar and equatorial regions. It can see through clouds and rain, providing all-weather, constant observation with images sharp enough to spot something as small as 1 meter! 🌦️🌐
\"These satellites are like the ultimate paparazzi—real-time remote sensing with quick response and agile observation,\" said Wang Yuxiang, PIESAT's chairman. \"They take as little as 20 minutes from command to ground reception!\" 🕒
Looking Ahead
By 2025, Nuwa aims to expand to at least 20 satellites. This means they'll revisit the same spot daily, with the fastest revisit time slashed to just an hour. Talk about speedy! 🏃♂️💨
Plus, the PIESAT team is upping their game with AI to boost image analysis efficiency. They're now able to monitor tiny movements in structures like dams and drainage outlets in real-time, detecting changes as small as a few millimeters. 🤖💡
So next time you're gazing up at the night sky, remember there's a fleet of satellites up there keeping an eye on our planet, and they're just getting started! 🌠✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
