On the 50th anniversary of China’s first satellite launch, Geely Technology Group subsidiary, Geespace announced on 24 April 2020 that its first two satellites will undergo final validation testing in June before being shipped to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for launch into low-orbit. Along with the launch of its first satellites, Geespace is also launching its OmniCloud satellite-based AI cloud platform.
In 2018, Geely Holding entered the aerospace industry with the establishment of Geespace under Geely Technology Group with the purpose of developing, launching and operation of low-orbit satellites, the first of which will be launched in the second half of 2020. Today, the first two satellites from Geespace have been successfully produced and verified with all performance metrics meeting design specifications ahead of further environmental testing.
In June, the satellites will undergo final validation in various environmental tests such as vibration tests simulating the condition of the satellites in a launch environment and thermal vacuum tests that simulate operating in extreme sub-zero temperatures in the vacuum of space. After completing the tests, the satellites will be shipped to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in North West China for launch.
The first two Geespace satellites are designed to provide users with high-precision centimeter-accurate positioning services and support the operation of OmniCloud, a new satellite-based AI cloud platform that was developed by GeeSpace.
OmniCloud is an open platform that utilizes satellite network data to provide support for satellite-based products and services. Via the use of OmniCloud, urban traffic management can be made more efficient through services such as high-precision positioning data for vehicles, artificial intelligence, public transportation fleet management, ride-hailing and ride-sharing management.
For the development of autonomous drive, OmniCloud will be able to monitor surroundings through the use of fully connected infrastructure and vehicles, allowing it to assist with AI decision making to support safe and highly autonomous driving. In the industrial sector, OmniCloud can provide support with the help of sensors on manufacturing equipment, allowing operators to remotely monitor, control, and maintain equipment anytime and anywhere.
In as early as 2010, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Chairman, Li Shufu laid out his vision for the future of Geely Holding’s transition towards being a technology-driven company with social innovation at its core: “With our feet on the ground, we should always keep an eye on the wider universe. We should protect the environment on earth and push for sustainable development here, but at the same time we should also look to develop in the stars as well.”
Geespace satellites represent Geely’s support and investment in new infrastructure. This new satellite network will not only provide support for Geely’s own three-dimensional mobility ecology, it will also support future mobility, intelligent manufacturing, unmanned drone flight, urban management, and other applications.
