Binhai firm builds Tianjin's first homegrown satellite

The satellite produced by Tianjin Yunyao Aerospace Technology. [Photo provided by Tianjin Yunyao Aerospace Technology]

Tianjin Yunyao Aerospace Technology, an enterprise in Binhai New Area, has announced the official delivery of Tianjin's first commercially designed satellite.

This marks a breakthrough in the city's commercial meteorological satellite design capabilities, achieving full in-house system integration for the first time and laying the foundation for future constellation networking and industrial applications.

The satellite, which is Yunyao's first fully self-designed and assembled small commercial satellite, has completed all ground development processes and is ready for transport to the launch site.

Its main payload is a self-developed integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation and sea-reflection receiver, enabling simultaneous acquisition of navigation, occultation, and reflected signals. This allows precise detection of atmospheric temperature, humidity, pressure, ionospheric electron density, sea surface wind speed, wave height, sea ice concentration, and soil moisture.

Data products support weather forecasting, maritime navigation, marine monitoring, and disaster early warning.

The satellite also carries a space robotic arm, a selfie camera, and a display screen for in‑orbit verification, marking the first integration of a commercial satellite with an embodied intelligent manipulator. Tests will provide data for future on‑orbit servicing, component replacement, and refueling, potentially reducing constellation costs.

Local supply chain collaboration was highlighted at the delivery ceremony, with several Tianjin-based firms joining Yunyao to discuss industrial synergy. The company plans to steadily advance its global weather observation constellation, enhance core technologies, and expand applications in meteorology, new energy, shipping, emergency response, and the low‑altitude economy.