China has taken a giant leap into the future by launching 12 satellites that are set to revolutionize space computing. On Wednesday, a Long March-2D rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 12:12 p.m. Beijing Time, carrying the first batch of a groundbreaking satellite constellation.
This new fleet of satellites, developed by Zhijiang Laboratory in collaboration with global partners, is planned to grow into a network of thousands. Wang Jian, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of Zhijiang Laboratory, shared that this ambitious project aims to perform real-time data processing directly in space. This means faster and more efficient handling of information, a significant upgrade from traditional satellites that often rely on ground stations for data processing.
What makes these satellites stand out is their onboard artificial intelligence. Each satellite is equipped with an 8-billion-parameter AI model, enabling them to process data from the rawest form (known as L0) up to more refined levels (up to L4). They can also communicate seamlessly with one another, thanks to full inter-satellite connectivity.
But that’s not all. These satellites will also carry out experimental missions like cross-orbit laser communication, which could pave the way for faster data transmission, and astronomical observations that might unlock new secrets of the universe.
This launch reflects China’s growing ambitions to harness space for computing power, potentially complementing Earth’s cloud infrastructure. For areas like artificial intelligence and remote sensing, which require massive amounts of data, this move could be a game-changer, opening up new possibilities for technology and exploration.
