π°οΈ Chinese SAR Satellites Overview
π‘ What is a SAR satellite? In one minute
SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) carries its own microwave source, so it images all day, all weather: at night, through clouds and rain. It shines in floods, earthquakes, sea ice and nighttime ship monitoring. China's fleet combines C / L / X bands: C-band for balanced use, L-band for vegetation penetration and deformation, X-band for the sharpest detail.
ποΈ Chinese SAR satellite table (click headers to sort)
π‘ Click Name / Launch date / Band / Resolution to toggle ascending & descending. Smaller resolution = sharper.
| Name β | Launch date β | Band β | Resolution β | Polarization | Main uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yaogan-1 | 2006-04-27 | L-band | 5m | Single | Land mapping, disaster monitoring |
| Yaogan-3 | 2007-11-12 | X-band | 3m | Single/Dual | Urban planning, crop monitoring |
| Gaofen-3 (GF-3) | 2016-08-10 | C-band | 1m | Full-pol | Ocean surveillance, relief, law enforcement |
| Hisea-1 | 2020-12-22 | C-band | 3m | Dual-pol | Commercial imaging, ship detection |
| Qilu-1 | 2021-04-27 | C-band | 3m | Dual-pol | Land-sea observation, research |
| Gaofen-3 02 | 2021-11-23 | C-band | 1m | Full-pol | Emergency response, ecology |
| Ludi Tance-1A (LT-1A) | 2022-01-26 | L-band | 3m | Full-pol | Geohazards, seismic InSAR |
| Ludi Tance-1B (LT-1B) | 2022-02-27 | L-band | 3m | Full-pol | Formation InSAR, landslide watch |
| Gaofen-3 03 | 2022-04-07 | C-band | 1m | Full-pol | Land-sea synergy, fast revisit |
| Yaogan-33 02 | 2022-09-02 | X-band | 1m | Full-pol | Science tests, land census |
| Yaogan-36 group | 2022-09-26 | X-band | 1m | Dual-pol | EM survey, disaster reduction |
| Piesat-1 (4-sat constellation) | 2023-03-30 | X-band | 0.5m | Full-pol | Commercial InSAR mapping, 3D cities |
π Charts: bands and sharpness at a glance
π°οΈ Satellite image object recognition
After SAR + optical fusion, many targets can be auto-detected. Tap an icon to open each topic:
π‘ Which satellite to choose? 3 quick tips
β For oceans, floods, routine watch β Gaofen-3 series (C-band, 1 m, fast revisit); β‘ for subsidence, landslides, quakes β Ludi Tance-1 (L-band InSAR is most stable); β’ for small targets and 3D β Piesat-1 (X-band 0.5 m). Not sure? Message us for a free recommendation.