China has established three series of remote sensing satellite systems for land, ocean, and atmosphere through the establishment of a high-resolution Earth observation system and the implementation of national civil space infrastructure planning. However, the current systems in China neglect data application and data services while emphasizing satellite engineering. Considering the future requirements of Earth observation for high quality, high benefit, and high efficiency, we adopt an effectiveness analysis method to study the Earth observation systems. We clarify the global development trends of Earth observation satellite systems and summarize the current status in China. Based on this, we analyze the demand and challenges for an effectiveness-oriented Earth-observation system and propose the development goals, components, and key tasks of the new-generation Earth-observation system that features system effectiveness. To improve the application service system and capabilities of China’s remote sensing satellites and to transform the orientation from business services to system effectiveness, it is necessary to build a space–ground integrated perception backbone network as well as management and data transmission tool networks based on top-level design with the High Resolution Earth Eye Program as the core, and implement major application demonstration projects. Moreover, national spectral data sources, quantitative application databases, and industrial ecology cloud platforms need to be strengthened, thereby transforming satellite engineering toward satellite application engineering and constructing a complete national civil space infrastructure.