A team of Chinese researchers has developed a powerful new method to create highly detailed 3D models of cities using radar data, helping overcome long-standing challenges in urban mapping. By combining artificial intelligence (AI) with building geometry, the new technique—called Geo-SETRA—can produce clearer, more complete images of urban landscapes, potentially transforming how cities are monitored, planned, and protected.

A new study published in The Innovation on May 12, 2025, highlights the launch of Haishao-1 (HS-1), China's first low-inclination orbit Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite—marking a breakthrough in global Earth observation. Developed by the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites and AIRSAT Technology Group, HS-1 combines a lightweight design with high-performance imaging capacities. Uniquely positioned in a low-inclination orbit, the satellite is specifically designed to fill long-standing observational gaps in equatorial and tropical regions—areas that are frequently obscured by clouds and under-observed by conventional polar-orbiting satellites by delivering detailed, frequent radar imagery with remarkable clarity.

A research team led by Professor SHI Yusheng from the Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a breakthrough solution to this problem. Using enhanced Gaussian plume model and data from NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 satellite, the team has achieved high-precision CO2 emission estimates from 14 large coal-fired power plants globally.

China has achieved a major milestone in satellite-ground communication. A joint research team from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Rongwei Technology Co., Ltd. has successfully conducted a ground-based experiment, reaching a single-channel X-band transmission rate of 2,100 Mbps using 128QAM modulation. This marks a 75% increase over previous domestic benchmarks and sets a new national record in satellite-ground data transmission.

A research team from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) released Africa's first high-resolution rice distribution map at 20-meter resolution. This 2023 dataset, published in Earth System Science Data, marks a significant milestone in agricultural monitoring, providing full coverage of African countries with national-level rice cultivation areas exceeding 5,000 hectares. This study provides a critical data foundation for tracking food security across the continent and globally.

The Aerospace Information Research Institute（AIR）of the Chinese Academy of Sciences unveiled four pioneering technological achievements in city Jinan, Shandong Province, China on April 19, 2025. These breakthroughs aim to accelerate Shandong's leadership in the rapidly evolving low-altitude economy—a sector set to transform industries such as drone logistics, emergency response, and urban air mobility through safe and efficient use of airspace below 3000 meters.