In a move to minimize dependency on foreign software amid increasing sanctions from the West, particularly the US, China has successfully tested an indigenously-developed operating system in space.
After launching into the orbit, the Dalian-1 Lianli CubeSat spent over 1,000 hours testing satellite subsystems powered by OpenHarmony real-time operating system (RTOS)—a streamlined, light-weight, open-source version of Huawei’s HarmonyOS. The trials assessed the platform’s ability to manage onboard functions with increased efficiency and reliability in space conditions.
Researchers from Dalian and Xian demonstrated that the suitcase-sized satellite, deployed from China’s Tiangong space station last year, achieved faster data updates and greater operational stability with OpenHarmony.
Satellite shows performance boost with OpenHarmony system
As per findings published in the journal Space: Science and Technology, the home-grown system outperformed earlier setups that relied on basic firmware or foreign software, the South China Morning Post reported.
According to Yu Xiaozhou, lead author of the study and a professor at Dalian University of Technology, the Lianli satellite mission demonstrated that using the OpenHarmony real-time operating system significantly enhanced the satellite’s response speed and reliability.
Yu’s team implemented the OpenHarmony RTOS on three critical subsystems of the Lianli satellite: the magnetometer, sun sensor, and attitude unit, which collectively determine its position and orientation. The mission demonstrated that all these subsystems operated reliably and without issues.
Following the OpenHarmony upgrade, the subsystems responded to commands within just two microseconds, demonstrating a remarkable increase in processing speed. This enhancement also enabled continuous data updates at significantly higher rates than previous configurations, improving the satellite’s overall efficiency and real-time responsiveness during its mission.
Marking a milestone in China’s space tech development, the Lianli microsatellite became the first to operate using both the OpenHarmony real-time operating system and a domestically produced chip. This fully home-grown hardware-software combination offers a new alternative for spacecraft operating systems on a global scale, as per Chinese media reports.
Reliance on open-source satellite systems created long-term challenges
Building on the success of the Lianli mission, Yu and his team introduced national technical standards for integrating OpenHarmony into small satellites. The move aims to standardize its application and accelerate wider adoption—momentum that is already evident in both commercial and research satellite projects across China.
Blacklisted by the US in 2019, Huawei lost access to key American tech—prompting China to fast-track self-reliance efforts, including in operating systems. Developed in response, OpenHarmony is now overseen by China’s OpenAtom Foundation and has expanded into satellites and embedded systems.
In a 2023 interview with state news agency Xinhua, Yu observed that China long depended on foreign or open-source operating systems like FreeRTOS for its small satellites. While FreeRTOS offered early benefits due to its cost-free availability, this reliance later proved problematic—especially when access to foreign-made chips became restricted, limiting the usability of even open systems.
Yu further explained that the reliance on foreign software and hardware had placed significant constraints on domestic satellite development teams. Overcoming these limitations has since become a central challenge in advancing China’s technological self-sufficiency.
