China has launched a massive space supercomputer network project, launching 12 satellites that will be part of a future constellation of 2,800 devices. This marks the beginning of the world's first orbital AI infrastructure capable of processing data directly in space.
China has launched a massive space supercomputer network project, launching 12 satellites that will be part of a future constellation of 2,800 devices. This marks the beginning of the world's first orbital AI infrastructure capable of processing data directly in space.
According to SpaceNews, the launch took place on May 14, 2025 from the Jiuquan Cosmodrome using a Long March 2D rocket. The satellites, developed by ADA Space in collaboration with Zhejiang Lab, form the so-called “Three-Body Computing Constellation.” These devices are equipped with powerful AI processors, which allows them to process data directly in orbit, reducing dependence on ground infrastructure.
Each satellite has a computing power of 744 trillion operations per second (TOPS), and the total capacity of the launched devices is 5 petaoperations per second (POPS). The satellites are interconnected by laser communication channels with speeds of up to 100 Gbit/s and have a total memory capacity of 30 terabytes. One of the satellites is equipped with a space X-ray polarimeter for the detection and classification of dangerous cosmic phenomena, such as gamma-ray bursts.
This project is part of the broader Star-Compute Program, which aims to create a network of 2,800 satellites that will provide real-time data processing in space. The program's goal is to achieve a total computing power of 1,000 POPS, making it one of the most powerful supercomputing systems in the world.
Deploying such a network is of strategic importance to China, as it will allow the country to strengthen its position in artificial intelligence and space technology. It could also help reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, as orbital data centers can harness solar energy and efficiently dissipate heat into space.
According to Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at Harvard University, the idea of cloud computing in space is very relevant now, and similar projects may also appear in the US and Europe.
Thus, China is taking a significant step towards creating a global orbital AI infrastructure that could change the rules of the game in data processing and the development of artificial intelligence.
The PRC is successfully exploring not only space, but also the depths of the ocean. It recently became known that Chinese scientists have developed the world's most accurate ocean simulator called LICOMK++, which models global water processes with a resolution of 1 km.
