A Chinese aerospace company, Geovis Insighter Technology Co., Ltd., is gearing up to introduce a groundbreakingspace situational awareness (SSA)A system created for tracking objects and space junk circling the Earth at lower altitudes. This initiative,reported by SpaceNews, signifies a notable advancement inChina’s increasing dedication to enhancing space security, openness, and collaboration.With the increasing number of satellites orbiting the Earth.
A Constellation Designed For Deep Orbital Insight
Geovis Insighter plans to build a constellation of 144 satellites, each dedicated to tracking and observing space objects in near-Earth orbit. The first two experimental satellites are scheduled for launch in April, with another 12 satellites expected by the end of 2026, according to Dan Luo, the company’s senior vice president, who discussed the program during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney.
The first satellites are planned to circle the Earth at an approximate height of500 kilometers, observing objects between 300 and 2,000 kilometersorbiting above our planet. Subsequently, more satellites will be deployed in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) to enable more detailed monitoring. Luo clarified that keeping satellites at these extremely low altitudesIt’s quite fuel-intensive. but allows them “to observe objects in much lower orbits,” enhancing accuracy and coverage.
Founded in 2016, Geovis Insighter Technology was officially listed on the Beijing Stock Exchange in January 2025. Before embarking on this constellation, the company developed SSA software for the Chinese government, providing a foundation for its leap into space-based monitoring.
Turning Orbital Data Into Business
While Geovis Insighter’s earlier work focused on government needs, this new constellation aims to serve a broader audience. The company plans to offer sharing information about space awareness with businesses, helping private space ventures navigate increasingly crowded orbital paths. This shift mirrors a wider trend in China’s space industry, where private and state-backed entities are merging expertise to support global space operations.
By supplying detailed tracking information, Geovis Insighter could play a vital role in preventing collisions, monitoring space debris, and improving orbit prediction models. With thousands of satellites from companies such as SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb now circling the planet, precise orbital data has become essential to avoid interference and ensure sustainable use of outer space.
Transparency And Cooperation In Orbit
At the same IAC session, Yuqi Shen, a PhD candidate at the Beijing Institute of Technology and visiting researcher at Leiden University, emphasized China’s commitment to building a national space traffic management system that aligns with international efforts. Shen explained that China’s approach tospace traffic coordination (STC)focuses on communication and transparency among operators rather than new global treaties.
“We need to increase transparency and information sharing, and we need to improve international interoperability,” Shen said. “Ultimately, it depends on trust and how national systems communicate with each other.”
China’s growing expertise in debris mitigation supports this strategy. The Shijian-21 satellite, for instance, demonstrated China’s capabilities by towing the defunct Beidou-2 G2 navigation satellite into a graveyard orbit—a controlled region for inactive spacecraft. This mission showcased the country’s advancements in on-orbit servicing and debris removal technologies.
The Hidden Rules Of Space Operations
As China continues to fine-tune its space policies, some big questions still hang in the air and how certain orbital moves should be interpreted. The country’s space traffic coordination system already covers things like mission approval, satellite registration, debris control, and radio-frequency management. Still, there are gaps when it comes to openness and intent.
Researcher Yuqi Shen pointed out that “the same maneuver can have both civil and military explanations,” a gray area that makes international cooperation tricky. Defining these boundaries, along with setting clear rules for data sharing and behavior in orbit, will be key as China takes on a bigger role in managing activity above Earth.
With the launch of Geovis Insighter’s SSA constellation, China is moving toward becoming a major player in the next era of space traffic control and orbital monitoring, a future where Earth’s orbit will be more connected, and more closely watched, than ever before.
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