Scientist reveals importance of China's microsatellites

Chinese scientists have made significant progress in using microsatellite data for research or commercial purposes though challenges remain, according to Zhang Yonghe, vice president of Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Zhang was interviewed on the sidelines of China's 10th Space Day which was launched in Shanghai on Thursday.

Microsatellites are loosely defined as those weighing less than 500 kilograms.

Some satellites are becoming lighter, and smarter, Zhang said.

The microsatellites academy, since its inception 20 years ago, has been entrusted with a number state-level tasks involving space science, spatial navigation, and communications. The academy has also been showing an interest in the growing commercial space industry.

One successful collaboration, Zhang said, is the China-France astronomical satellite SVOM (Space Variable Object Monitor) which, in just 10 months since its launch, has detected more than 100 gamma-ray bursts.

Gamma-ray bursts are the most violent stellar explosions in the universe and are known as the "cosmic fireworks at the funeral of stars." The achievements of SVOM will assist scientists in investigating these extreme phenomena, possibly providing clues to the creation of the universe.

Zhang also highlighted the importance of data processing in space.

"The satellite has the capacity for acquiring a huge amount of data, and if all of it were to be transferred to Earth, this would overwhelm transmission capacity. How to abstract the most valuable information in space is a crucial task for microsatellites."

Zhang said there is still some room for progress in the development of highly sensitive detectors directed to Earth, and in the use of AI in sophisticated calculations.

How to achieve leap-frog development in these sectors would be crucial, he said.