China just launched a dozen AI satellites into space. The Long March 2D rocket lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 14, deploying the first batch of what will eventually become a 2,800-satellite constellation. Yes, you read that right – thousands of AI-powered satellites circling Earth.
China deploys AI satellites – first dozen of 2,800 planned orbital computing network launched
This isn’t your typical satellite launch. These birds pack serious computational punch – each one carries an AI model with 8 billion parameters and can perform 744 tera operations per second. Together, these twelve satellites deliver 5 peta operations per second. That’s more processing power than many ground-based AI systems. They even talk to each other using laser links at 100 Gbps speeds and share 30 terabytes of storage. The satellites are officially named Xingshidai satellites, designed specifically for in-orbit data processing.
The project name? “Three-Body Computing Constellation,” inspired by Liu Cixin’s sci-fi trilogy. Because apparently naming your satellite network after alien invasion novels is totally normal now. ADA Space, Zhejiang Lab, and Neijang High-Tech Zone developed this beast of a system. China aims to open access to this computing constellation for international cooperation, allowing other organizations worldwide to tap into the orbital processing power. However, critics warn that outputs from these systems may require extensive fact-checking due to AI hallucinations that could compromise reliability.
Here’s the kicker – these satellites process data in space. No more beaming everything back to Earth first. Right now, less than 10% of satellite data actually reaches ground stations. That’s a massive waste. These AI satellites analyze information on the spot, cutting out the middleman entirely.
The hardware is impressive. Remote sensing equipment, cosmic X-ray polarimeters, real-time data processing – it’s all there. China’s basically building a brain in orbit. And the cold vacuum of space? Perfect natural cooling for all that computing power.
This represents a fundamental shift in satellite functionality. They’re not just eyes in the sky anymore – they’re thinking machines. China’s launch cadence has jumped by a third this year, doubling the payloads sent to orbit compared to 2024.
The endgame is ambitious. Once complete, the constellation will hit 1,000 POPS of computational power. China’s making it clear they want to dominate both AI and space technology. Building computational infrastructure in orbit isn’t just smart – it’s the next frontier.
References
- https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/05/china-roundup-05232025/
- https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/china-is-building-a-constellation-of-ai-supercomputers-in-space-and-just-launched-the-first-pieces
- https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/05/19/748244/china-ai-satellites-supercomputer
- https://mojoauth.com/blog/china-launches-first-satellites-for-ai-computing-constellation/
- https://humanprogress.org/china-begins-assembling-its-supercomputer-in-space/?related=1720
