China Launches First Satellites for Massive AI Supercomputer Network in Space

China has taken a groundbreaking step in space and artificial intelligence by launching the first 12 satellites of an ambitious 2,800-satellite AI supercomputer network. This initiative, led by ADA Space in collaboration with Zhijiang Laboratory and Neijang High-Tech Zone, aims to create a vast orbital computing constellation known as the Three-Body Computing Constellation.

Each satellite is equipped with an onboard AI model featuring 8 billion parameters and delivers 744 tera operations per second (TOPS). Collectively, the initial 12 satellites achieve 5 peta operations per second (POPS), vastly surpassing the processing power required for advanced AI applications like Microsoft Copilot on PCs. The ultimate goal is to scale this network to thousands of satellites reaching a combined performance of 1,000 POPS.

A key innovation of this network is its ability to process data directly in orbit, reducing reliance on terrestrial ground stations. The satellites communicate with each other at speeds up to 100 Gbps via laser links and share 30 terabytes of storage. This architecture addresses traditional satellite communication bottlenecks, where less than 10% of data typically reaches Earth due to bandwidth and ground station limitations.

The satellites carry scientific payloads, including X-ray polarization detectors for capturing transient cosmic events like gamma-ray bursts. Additionally, they can generate 3D digital twin data useful for emergency response, gaming, and tourism applications, showcasing the broad utility of space-based AI computing.

Experts highlight that orbital data centers benefit from solar power and can dissipate heat efficiently into space, significantly lowering energy consumption and carbon footprint compared to terrestrial data centers. This sustainable approach to supercomputing could inspire similar projects in the US and Europe, marking a new era in green, high-performance computing infrastructure.

China’s deployment of this AI-powered satellite network represents a significant leap forward in combining space technology with artificial intelligence. By enabling real-time data processing in orbit, this initiative promises to revolutionize how we collect, analyze, and utilize data from space, opening new frontiers for scientific discovery, commercial applications, and environmental monitoring.