China has officially begun deploying its first commercial satellite constellation designed to provide continuous monitoring of space debris. The new project, named Gande, will become an important part of the country’s space traffic management system, helping to detect potentially hazardous objects in Earth orbit. The constellation will consist of 120 satellites, with full deployment scheduled for completion by 2030.
The first satellite was successfully launched aboard the Lijian-1 launch vehicle. According to the developers, the mission marks a significant milestone in the development of China’s commercial space traffic management capabilities and will substantially improve the safety of future space missions.
The first spacecraft is equipped with an onboard artificial intelligence computer capable of independently planning observation tasks, tracking objects in real time, and even changing its orbit to conduct closer inspections of potentially dangerous space debris.
The importance of such technologies continues to grow alongside the increasing amount of orbital debris. Experts estimate that more than one million fragments larger than one centimeter are currently orbiting Earth at speeds of approximately 7.9 km/s. Even relatively small pieces of debris can inflict severe damage on spacecraft.
Developers said that the second phase of the project will add 36 satellites equipped with high-resolution sensors, while the final phase will deploy another 70 AI-powered satellites capable of autonomous object recognition, behavior analysis, and independent decision-making.
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