China kicks off plan for world’s first AI supercomputers in space

China has launched twelve artificial intelligence satellites as part of the space computing constellation, aiming to build the world's first space-based supercomputer.

These satellites, powered with intelligent computing systems and inter-satellite communication links, were sent into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre as reported by South China Morning Post.

The launched satellites are the part of Three-Body Computing Constellation, a space-based infrastructure and a low Earth orbit network developed by Zhijiang Laboratory, a state-run research institute, and ADA Space, a Chinese aerospace start-up.

According to Daily Galaxy, the orbit could host 2,800 satellites, possessing the ability to outcompete most powerful ground-based supercomputers.

After completing the project, it will achieve 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS), a number that could surpass today’s supercomputers.

These satellites carrying 3D terrain mapping tools and Earth observation cameras help in rapid disaster assessment, real-time monitoring of the environment, and giving alerts for gamma-ray bursts.