The ice road satellite adopts the “flock” development model, which uses a small satellite platform to establish a low-cost micro-small-scale remote sensing satellite constellation to achieve high-temporal continuous observation of the polar region. Based on the pigeon breed model, the ice satellite has a unique design in the load configuration, equipped with a super wide medium resolution camera, a high resolution camera and an AIS receiver, of which the wide camera has a resolution of 80 meters. With an area width of 800 kilometers, it is an important complement to the current international wide-scale satellite data of kilometer and ten-meter resolution. Combined with its high resolution camera with 8 meters resolution, single star can realize the polar region. Full coverage of the sky, to achieve observations of the polar region and key areas, is expected to improve the ability to monitor rapid changes such as iceberg drift, ice shelf collapse, etc., after multiple stars form a constellation, can achieve the hourly observation of the above rapid change process, It will bring a revolutionary breakthrough in polar remote sensing observations.
In addition, the star also integrates the satellite-borne AIS receiver that receives the ship's AIS positioning signal broadcast, which can combine the polar region remote sensing with the ship navigation, plan the navigation route for the polar region ship, make the channel risk assessment, and support the Arctic channel. Development.
Compared with the large-scale satellites with a price of 100 million yuan, the load accuracy of the micro-satellite with a million-yuan price can not be compared with the life of the satellite, and the single-star is difficult to weather in a short time, and it is impossible to observe during the night.
“We have planned a constellation network of 24 small satellites, the goal is to achieve the frequency of repeated observations in the polar regions within one hour, to some extent to achieve full-time observations. In addition, high-polar-orbit SAR satellites and mini-SAR satellite constellations are planned. I hope to complete the final deployment by 2030." Cheng Xiao said.