Did China just take the lead in race for space-based AI computing dominance?

Launch of world’s first satellite computing constellation gives China big head start in orbital data processing, despite major hurdles ahead, experts say

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China has launched the first batch of satellites for its space-based computing constellation, a system that could rival the most powerful ground-based supercomputers once fully deployed. Photo: Handout

Published: 6:00am, 22 May 2025Updated: 9:52am, 22 May 2025

China’s launch last week of a cluster of 12 satellites that will form the foundation of the world’s first orbital computing constellation signalled the country’s ambition to dominate space-based computational power.

The constellation, a collaboration between aerospace innovators like Guoxing Aerospace and AI specialists at Zhejiang Lab is designed to process data in orbit rather than rely on land infrastructure.

The system aims to take advantage of the unlimited solar energy and lower cooling demands of space, as well as today’s falling launch costs.

There is also the promise of speed and efficiency.

For instance, disaster response teams could use satellites to analyse real-time imagery mid-orbit, bypassing data bottlenecks on Earth and saving time. Or a network of solar-powered orbital “data factories” could cut reliance on terrestrial grids and reduce the need for cooling.

A network of 12 satellites equipped with AI-powered computing systems was launched on May 14 in an effort to harness the potential of space-based computational power. Photo: Handout

“We believe that the fusion of AI represents the future of the space industry. In the long term, space-based computing could become a foundational infrastructure accessible to all,” said Chen Junrui, spokesman for STAR.VISION, a private aerospace company based in Hangzhou.