Satellite milestone advances geomagnetic navigation research and applications

The Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) celebrated a milestone yesterday with the third anniversary of the Macau Science Satellite-1 (MSS-1) launch, unveiling a series of technological breakthroughs that position the Chinese region as a leader in high-precision geomagnetic research and applications.

The press conference featured the release of ten major achievements from the MSS-1 project, spanning engineering innovation, scientific discovery and industrial development. The event also marked the official launch of the ambitious “Shen Kuo Program (2026-2030),” designed to build an independently controlled global high-precision geomagnetic navigation system within five years.

During the press conference, Professor Zhang Keke, the MSS-1’s chief scientist, presented the project’s accomplishments. He underscored what officials described as a seamless blend of scientific achievement and commercial application, demonstrating how cutting-edge research can translate directly into real-world utility.

According to Zhang, three engineering achievements form the foundation of MSS-1’s success. The satellite features what is recognized globally as the world’s most stable geomagnetic satellite optical platform, capable of maintaining extremely precise temperature control even under intense solar exposure. The MSS-1’s temperature variance remains insignificant compared to similar international satellites, directly enabling higher measurement accuracy.

Additionally, the satellite achieves China’s highest magnetic cleanliness standard, a metric referring to the elimination of electromagnetic interference from the satellite’s own components. The combination of these engineering feats has enabled measurement accuracy of 0.25 nanotesla, representing the world’s highest level, Zhang noted.

Revealing Earth’s hidden depths

For the first time, researchers using MSS-1 data have produced a three-dimensional map of Earth’s liquid core dynamo, the deep electromagnetic engine that generates the planet’s magnetic field. This visualization revealed critical dynamical properties previously invisible to science, showing how Earth’s internal structure controls magnetic field generation, according to Zhang’s presentation.

The satellite has also provided the first comprehensive global map of ocean-induced magnetic signatures. As oceans move, driven by tides, currents and deep circulation, they generate measurable magnetic fields. MSS-1’s precision enabled scientists to detect and visualize these signals globally, opening new pathways for understanding large-scale ocean dynamics and their climate implications.

From laboratory to market

The MSS-1 program has begun moving from pure science toward commercialization, Zhang explained. The team has developed China’s first high-precision geomagnetic physics model, currently in version 2.0, a sophisticated mathematical framework that predicts magnetic field values at any location and time. Officials describe this as a critical national gap; previously, only the United States and Western nations possessed equivalent capabilities.

An Android application integrating geomagnetic data with astronomical positioning information has been listed on Huawei’s App Market, offering navigation assistance in GPS-denied environments. Researchers have also completed the first domestic high-precision geomagnetic sensor chip, with prototypes successfully tested on unmanned vehicles and drones achieving centimeter-level navigation accuracy in laboratory conditions.

MUST president Jian-Kang Zhu announced that the university will showcase these preliminary achievements in satellite industrialization for the first time this year at the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, marking an important milestone in Macau’s aerospace technology entering the application stage. “This is an important step for Macau’s aerospace technology to reach the application stage and also a concrete practice of the university in promoting industry-academia-research integration to serve regional development,” Zhu stated.

According to Zhang’s presentation, despite three years in orbit, MSS-1 has consumed only approximately 12 kilograms of its 52-kilogram fuel supply. Project calculations indicate the satellite can continue operations until 2036, providing researchers and commercial developers with a reliable decade of continuous high-quality geomagnetic data.

The ‘Shen Kuo Program’

Named after the 11th-century Chinese scientist who discovered magnetic declination, the “Shen Kuo Program” represents an ambitious leap forward. Between 2026 and 2030, the initiative aims to construct a fully independent geomagnetic navigation system capable of operating globally, in all weather conditions and with near-total resistance to interference or jamming.

The program pursues two complementary navigation technologies. The first uses high-precision geomagnetic measurements to provide directional and approximate positioning information – addressing a significant limitation of traditional satellite navigation, which cannot directly output heading information. The second approach employs “geomagnetic fingerprinting,” treating unique magnetic characteristics in Earth’s lithosphere as location signatures similar to human fingerprints.

This second method holds particular strategic importance. Current global satellite navigation systems experience over 30,000 safety incidents monthly related to signal interference or outages. Geomagnetic fingerprint navigation, operating entirely passively without transmitted signals, offers immunity to such disruptions, a capability with obvious applications in aviation and maritime safety.

The program will integrate cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum computing applications, advanced semiconductor chips and refined versions of the Macau World Geomagnetic Field Model.

National support and international recognition

The celebration reflected the project’s prominence within China’s national development framework. In December 2024, President Xi Jinping visited the MSS-1 Science and Application Data Center, issuing instructions to accelerate development of high-precision geomagnetic applications serving the national economy.

Internationally, the MSS-1 satellite has attracted significant scientific interest. Research groups from 26 countries and regions have downloaded the satellite’s data nearly 25,000 times since initial release. The program has established cooperative research agreements with 18 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and France. Two special symposiums dedicated to MSS-1 research have been held by the Royal Astronomical Society in London, signaling sustained attention from the global scientific community.

Broader applications and continued development

University officials announced plans to continue advancing broader application of satellite achievements in fields such as aviation and maritime navigation. Chen Ji Min, a member of the board of directors of the MUST foundation, stated that the institution will continue developing the MSS-1 satellite into a distinctive “golden calling card” that showcases Macau’s characteristics and contributes to national development.

“The foundation will continue to play a role in resource integration and strategic support, promoting the satellite’s findings for broader use in fields such as aviation and navigation,” Chen said.

With MSS-1 operating successfully through 2036 and the “Shen Kuo Program” now officially underway, officials project that the convergence of geomagnetic satellite data, independent navigation systems and domestic semiconductor capabilities could fundamentally reshape how navigation operates in denied environments.

For a region like Macau, the achievement represents both a vindication of the “one country, two systems” framework and a demonstration of how local institutional capacity, backed by national resources, can produce technology with global significance.

The satellite continues its near-polar orbit at approximately 450 kilometers altitude, recently repositioned through an orbital adjustment maneuver to maintain optimal operational parameters. With nearly a decade of mission life remaining and a comprehensive research and commercialization apparatus now fully mobilized, MSS-1 and what is to follow appear to establish Macau as a hub for advanced space-based Earth science applications.