“The era of space intelligent driving is coming. Satellites and constellations will, just like L4-level autonomous driving cars, have the capabilities of autonomous environmental perception, mission planning, and maneuver decision-making in space.”
On May twenty eighth, on the “Cape of Good Hope Science Salon” held in Shanghai, Shao Xiaopeng, the deputy director of the Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as “Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics”), put ahead this judgment in his speech.
Shao Xiaopeng, the deputy director of Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, giving a speech on the salon
The “Cape of Good Hope Science Salon” is a platform for scientific and technological innovation integration and cross – border communication initiated by Zhongke Chuangxing and co – hosted by Zhongke Chuangxing, Dongbi Technology Data, Shanghai R & D Public Service Platform Management Center, and Curvature Engine. This session of the salon was themed “Interstellar Intelligent Control – The Industrial Resonance of Space Intelligent Driving and Remote Sensing Technology”, bringing collectively specialists within the aerospace discipline and practically 100 representatives from science and expertise innovation enterprises, funding establishments, and native governments to collectively focus on the technical paths and implementation fashions for the improve of satellites and constellations from passive response to autonomous resolution – making.
In the previous few years, the worldwide business aerospace has entered an accelerated stage. The quantity of satellites in orbit has been constantly rising, and the dangers reminiscent of area particles and orbital collisions have additionally elevated. The conventional on – orbit administration mode of satellites that depends on floor stations for one – by – one management has turn into unsustainable. The idea of “space intelligent driving”, which emphasizes the satellite tv for pc’s capabilities of autonomous notion, autonomous response, and autonomous resolution – making, has emerged.
In his speech titled “Computational Imaging: Remodeling ‘Space Intelligent Driving'”, Shao Xiaopeng mentioned that the brand new paradigm of “AI + Optics” will promote the transformation of aerospace optical payloads from conventional “precision machinery” to “intelligent information terminals” and additional improve the autonomy of satellite tv for pc techniques.
The core theoretical help for this concept is the “computational imaging” expertise.
Shao Xiaopeng gave an instance: “There’s no need to grind the lens to absolute perfection. Just grind it to ‘almost perfect’, and use algorithms to make up for the remaining errors.” In engineering phrases, it means simplifying the {hardware} within the bodily area (stress-free the accuracy necessities and lowering the quantity of lenses) and utilizing AI for compensation within the info area (aberration restoration and intelligent recognition).
On September fifth, 2025, the computational imaging distant sensing digital camera (all – metallic digital camera within the seen mild band) collectively developed by Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics and different items was carried on the Kaiyun – 1 (Tianyan 28) satellite tv for pc and launched into area by the Ceres – 1 Y15 service rocket. This marked the primary verification of the collaborative innovation expertise mannequin of computational imaging optical system concept and computational area compensation in the true area atmosphere.
Compared with conventional distant sensing cameras, this technique has a less complicated construction, a considerably diminished weight, a tremendously relaxed floor form accuracy, and the manufacturing value has been diminished to 1/5 to 1/10 of the unique. According to the preliminary on – orbit knowledge, beneath the situation of low sign – to – noise ratio, the small print of the computationally restored photographs are principally the identical as these of the standard distant sensing imaging mode, verifying the feasibility of the technical path.
For satellite tv for pc autonomy, it’s not solely needed to “see clearly” but in addition to “understand what is seen”.
It is reported that in response to the issue of restricted on – board computing energy, the staff of Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics has carried out processing reminiscent of “pruning”, “quantization”, and “knowledge distillation” on the bottom massive – scale fashions to kind light-weight fashions appropriate for the on – board atmosphere, in order to decrease the deployment threshold and enhance the on – board autonomous processing capacity.
Xi’an Zhongke Tianta Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhongke Tianta”) is the industrialization platform of Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics within the discipline of business aerospace. Zeng Weigang, the overall supervisor of Zhongke Tianta, mentioned on the salon that the corporate is collectively deploying related capabilities for “space intelligent driving” with Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics and industrial chain companions.
According to its plan, sooner or later, the bottom finish will present providers reminiscent of measurement, operation and management, well being administration, simulation coaching, and automated distant management round satellite tv for pc on – orbit administration; the on – board finish will focus on the brand new – era on – board laser communication terminal to enhance the info transmission and collaboration capabilities between satellites.