SHANGHAI — Shanghai Xingshu Tiansuan Space Technology Co. announced Saturday that it has successfully launched the first constellation of satellites as part of a sweeping space-computing initiative that ultimately aims to place 1,000 satellites into orbit.
Space-based computing refers to the practice of processing data directly in orbit — including artificial intelligence and remote-sensing tasks — rather than transmitting all raw data back down to Earth for processing.
The company said the milestone brings China one step closer to the commercial launch of what would be the country’s first space-based computing network.
The timing of the announcement was notable: it came as Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, where he positioned Beijing as a leading force in shaping a new global order around artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, Elon Musk’s SpaceX — which completed a merger with xAI in February — is also pushing forward with its own space-based computing plans, aiming to speed up AI development.
Supporters of space-based computing argue that sending processed results back to Earth, rather than massive amounts of unprocessed raw data, can help reduce delays and ease pressure on data transmission systems.
