Frontier | AI + Laser Communication: Zhongke Tianta Aims to Achieve Three-Level Leap in Satellite Management Mode with "Space Intelligent Driving" System

With the accelerated deployment of global satellite constellation projects, the number of on - orbit satellites has surged, and space traffic safety issues are evolving from theoretical risks into real - world problems.

Data shows that in the past six months, the world's largest satellite constellation carried out more than 50,000 active collision - avoidance maneuvers in just half a year. When the scale of future constellation construction reaches tens of thousands or even millions of satellites, the traditional model of 24 - hour manual monitoring and control relying on ground stations will face challenges such as a sharp increase in management difficulty, high costs, and limited transmission. High - speed, high - stability, and high - security inter - satellite communication and intelligent on - orbit management have become technological trends.

To achieve this goal, both highly reliable laser communication terminals and the support of AI large - model autonomous analysis and decision - making capabilities are required.

At the "2026 China Space Day" Commercial Space Industry High - Quality Development Forum held on April 24th, Zhongke Tianta officially launched its new - generation on - board laser communication terminal.

Jing Zhenlong, the deputy general manager of Zhongke Tianta, mentioned at the meeting that the new - generation terminal launched by Zhongke Tianta has been comprehensively upgraded in terms of transmission rate, link stability, environmental adaptability, and data security. Compared with traditional microwave communication, laser communication has advantages such as large bandwidth, low latency, narrow beam, strong confidentiality, and outstanding anti - interference ability. It can effectively compensate for the shortcomings of ground - based measurement and control and promote the upgrade of the satellite measurement and control system from a mainly "ground - based" system to a "space - ground integrated" one.

Zhongke Tianta's new - generation on - board laser communication terminal

From a technological evolution perspective, Zhongke Tianta's new - generation laser communication terminal is derived from more than 20 years of technological accumulation and scientific and technological achievement transformation at the Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics. The terminal product adopts an independent control system design, which does not occupy the satellite's main control resources and has better reliability and compatibility. To put it in a metaphor, it is like a "plug - and - play" independent module that can be adapted to different satellite platforms.

It is reported that from 2020 to 2025, the laser communication terminal independently developed by the Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics was launched into space, setting the records of the "fastest link establishment" and the "longest stable link" in China at that time.

With the information bridge in place, if satellites are equipped with an AI brain that can perform data processing, early warning, and risk avoidance in advance after receiving data, it is expected to make "space intelligent driving" possible. This is also the direction of technological evolution and application implementation that Zhongke Tianta wants to promote.

In fact, as early as 2024, Zhongke Tianta launched the first domestic AI large - model in the field of space measurement and control based on the company's past space data and knowledge system. After two years of iterative optimization, a series of intelligent agents were successively launched to solve problems such as the difficulty of ground - based control of large - scale constellations.

According to Zeng Weigang, the general manager of Zhongke Tianta, the company's models and intelligent agent products have reached cooperation agreements with leading domestic satellite companies and in - system research institutions, and achieved tens of millions of yuan in order revenue last year.

Through AI + laser communication, Zhongke Tianta hopes to achieve a three - level leap in the satellite management model with the "space intelligent driving" system.

"From manual management using software to automated software operation, and then to autonomous decision - making by AI intelligent agents." Zeng Weigang also mentioned that just like the development process of autonomous driving for ground vehicles, the future "intelligent driving" of satellites in space will also follow a step - by - step upgrade path from assisted driving to fully autonomous driving.

Next, on the "brain" side, Zhongke Tianta will continue to iterate its models and intelligent agent products; on the "body" side, it will accelerate the large - scale delivery and application of terminal products.

It is reported that Zhongke Tianta has built a high - standard clean assembly space and a full - process reliability testing environment in Xi'an. It is equipped with a professional on - board laser communication terminal production line with a designed annual production capacity of more than 500 sets, which is planned to be officially put into use in mid - May this year.