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China launches its first orbital computing satellite group
China has launched the first satellites for a planned 1,000-satellite orbital computing network targeting AI and remote-sensing workloads.
Image: iXBT
China has launched its first satellite constellation designed to process data in orbit, according to Xingshu Tiansuan Space Technology Co. The project ultimately aims to place 1,000 satellites in orbit as part of a space-computing network.
Space computing involves handling data in space—including artificial intelligence and remote-sensing workloads—instead of sending all raw data back to Earth. Xingshu Tiansuan said the launch marked a step toward commercial operation of China’s first space-computing network.
The announcement coincided with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s participation in the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, where he presented Beijing as a defender of a new global order in AI.
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After its merger with xAI in February, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has also been advancing space-computing initiatives intended to accelerate AI development. Musk said SpaceX plans to begin launching new satellites as early as next year, with significant progress expected by 2028.
Supporters of orbital processing argue that returning processed results rather than large volumes of raw data could reduce latency and ease pressure on network bandwidth.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
