Samarkand-2028 AI Earth Observation Satellite Enters Orbit

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan, together with China's STAR.VISION, has successfully launched the Samarkand-2028 hyperspectral Earth observation satellite into orbit. The launch took place on 5 August 2026 from the Haiyang-East spaceport in China.

The satellite was developed by STAR.VISION in cooperation with Uzbekistan's Uzcosmos agency. According to the agency, the mission marks an important step in the development of the country's national space program, the adoption of advanced space technologies, and the strengthening of scientific and technological cooperation between Uzbekistan and China.

Samarkand-2028 is a hyperspectral Earth observation satellite. Unlike conventional satellites, it can analyze radiation reflected from the Earth's surface across more than 20 spectral bands. This enables it to provide detailed information on the condition of agricultural crops, water and natural resources, and the environment, while also monitoring changes in land use.

One of the satellite's key features is an artificial intelligence module developed by Uzcosmos specialists. The module is designed to process part of the satellite's data onboard before it is transmitted to Earth. According to the agency, this will reduce the volume of transmitted data, speed up access to the required information, and improve the efficiency of subsequent data analysis.

The data collected by the satellite is expected to be used in agriculture, water resource management, environmental and natural resource monitoring, early detection of emergencies, urban planning, and the efficient use of land. The project is also viewed as a technological platform for training national specialists in space engineering, artificial intelligence, and satellite data processing.

The name "Samarkand-2028" reflects the fact that Samarkand will host the 79th International Astronautical Congress in 2028. The decision to hold the event in Uzbekistan was made in 2025 during the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney.