LIVE: Launch of Uzbekistan's Samarkand-2028 Earth Observation Satellite

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan is set to launch the Samarkand-2028 hyperspectral Earth observation satellite into orbit on 5 August. The launch is scheduled to take place from the Haiyang Oriental Spaceport in China between 07:00 and 09:00 Tashkent time.

The launch of the Samarkand-2028 Earth observation satellite is being streamed live on the Uzbekcosmos Agency's YouTube channel.

The satellite was developed by China's STAR.VISION in cooperation with Uzbekistan's Uzcosmos Agency. The agency describes the mission as an important milestone in the country's space programme, supporting the adoption of advanced technologies and strengthening scientific and technological cooperation between Uzbekistan and China.

Samarkand-2028 is a hyperspectral Earth observation satellite capable of analysing reflected radiation from the Earth's surface across more than 20 spectral bands, significantly exceeding the capabilities of conventional multispectral satellites. This enables more detailed monitoring of agricultural crops, water and natural resources, environmental conditions and land-use changes.

One of the satellite's key features is an artificial intelligence module developed by specialists at Uzcosmos. The onboard system is designed to process part of the collected satellite data before transmission to Earth, reducing the amount of data sent, accelerating access to critical information and improving the efficiency of subsequent analysis.

The satellite's data will be used in agriculture, water resource management, environmental and natural resource monitoring, early detection of emergencies, urban planning and sustainable land management. The project is also intended to serve as a platform for training Uzbek specialists in space engineering, artificial intelligence and satellite data processing.

The satellite's name refers to Samarkand's role as the host city of the 79th International Astronautical Congress in 2028. The decision to hold the congress in Uzbekistan was made during the 2025 International Astronautical Congress in Sydney.

Uzcosmos noted that the launch schedule may be adjusted or postponed if weather conditions or technical considerations require it, which is standard international practice for ensuring mission safety and the reliable operation of all spacecraft systems.