The invention relates to a satellite-borne imaging data management method based on multistage file symbols in the technical field of satellite-borne imaging data management, which comprises the following steps that: step 1, a ground system specifies a first-level file symbol based on task planning of imaging data; Step 2, based on the classification level of the imaging data, the satellite systemautonomously defines file symbols step by step; Step 3, corresponding imaging data is extracted according to the data classification mode and the specified file symbol of the ground system; And step 4, the ground system specifies file symbols, clears the corresponding imaging data and releases the file symbols. The satellite-borne imaging data management method is suitable for the field of satellite-borne imaging data management, the problem that data classification is disordered in a satellite-borne imaging data management method is solved, the task execution efficiency on a satellite is improved, the ground control flexibility is enhanced, and the method can adapt to the diversified imaging capacity of the satellite.