China is launching a second satellite constellation to monitor objects in orbit to help commercial operators lower collision risks and ease the country’s long reliance on foreign tracking data.

When complete, the Xingyan – or Star Eye – space situational awareness constellation will have 156 satellites up and running to identify the orbits of other satellites and debris, detect unusual movements, and provide collision warnings and maneuver advice every two hours.

Its developer, Xingtu Cekong, an Anhui-based spin-off of leading geospatial data company Zhongke Xingtu, said 12 satellites would be launched by 2027 and the full network in operation after 2028.

The network will deliver 30-minute updates, with global low-orbit coverage and targeted monitoring in higher orbits, Xingtu Cekong chairman and project leader Hu Yu said in Beijing on Thursday.

China launched Kaiyun-1, the first satellite of the Guangshi space situational awareness constellation, in September. That system will be operated by Beijing Kaiyun United, another Zhongke Xingtu spin-off, and comprise 24 satellites.
So far, the only fully operational network is the US military’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Programme, which uses five active satellites in geosynchronous orbit to monitor other spacecraft and investigate unusual activity.

The concept of space situational awareness took shape in the 1990s to detect and track objects in orbit – from active satellites to pieces of debris – and predict their movements.

It relies on networks of ground-based radars and telescopes as well as space-based sensors that watch activity in low and high orbits. With thousands of new satellites launched each year, these systems have become essential for managing traffic and avoiding collisions.

The technology is widely considered dual use: the same data that help commercial operators steer clear of debris can also reveal the behaviour of foreign satellites, flag unusual manoeuvres and support military planning.

Hu, from Xingtu Cekong, said Xingyan was designed to support commercial space activity.

He said each satellite would carry a mix of cameras and sensors, including wide-field, infrared and multispectral imagers, electromagnetic monitors and onboard processors, and use AI to detect risks and support automated collision-avoidance.

Once the satellites detected debris and other objects in orbit, they would determine their positions and send the data to the ground for processing, he said.

“After the data is processed, we will send the resulting strategies back up to the satellites so they can avoid collisions and eventually protect space assets,” Hu said.

The project will roll out in two phases – an initial backbone of 12 high-performance satellites, followed by 144 lower-cost satellites to boost coverage. Two test satellites are planned for launch in the first half of next year, according to Hu.

Beyond China, other commercial operators getting into the game, including California-based Turion Space, which started launching dedicated space situational awareness satellites about two years ago.