China launches autonomous AI satellites for weather and forest monitoring

On 24 July 2026 China’s CAS Space launched a Lijian‑1 Y15 carrier rocket carrying five satellites, among them two AI‑driven autonomous craft. The Jitian Star A‑04 satellite carries an embodied AI model from Zhejiang Lab that lets it monitor its own health, plan missions and detect forest‑fire anomalies with infrared sensors, operating independently of ground commands. The Xiguang‑2 03 satellite hosts three AI meteorological models that compress the traditional 90‑minute data‑to‑forecast cycle to near‑real‑time, delivering rapid weather alerts directly from orbit.

Both satellites are part of the "Three‑Body Computing Constellation" project, which aims to deploy 100 AI‑enabled satellites by 2027 to enable on‑board data processing and coordinated decision‑making across a global constellation. Project engineer Li Chao said that, “With AI models the satellites can achieve real‑time processing of data collected across the globe, pushing AI application from the ground into space.” The launch underscores China’s push to embed advanced artificial‑intelligence capabilities into its space infrastructure, potentially reshaping how weather, environmental monitoring and satellite operations are performed.