China is preparing to build the world’s first supercomputer in orbit, according to reports. Therefore, Beijing has launched new satellites that are equipped with intelligent computing systems and inter-satellite communication links.
The Asian giant sent 12 such satellites, part of the space-based Three-Body Computing Constellation, to orbit on May 14. To execute the mission, Chinese scientists used a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre.
Reports have revealed that the constellation could comprise thousands of satellites with a combined computing power of 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS).
Real-time data processing in orbit
Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering have underlined that the constellation is expected to perform real-time data processing in orbit. Zhejiang Lab is jointly executing the project, a research institute based in Hangzhou, in collaboration with international partners.
Wang Jian, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the director of the lab, revealed that the constellation could also address efficiency issues in traditional satellite systems and accelerate the integration of AI into space-based applications.
Aim is to scale up the computing power of a single satellite
Wang had previously highlighted that the aim is to scale up the computing power of a single satellite from the teraflop to the petaflop level, and to achieve seamless interconnectivity between satellites, just like how the internet links individual computers.
The member highlighted that with a computing constellation, even a single satellite can generate value. This has profound implications for the future of the space industry, according to Wang.
The launch, announced by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), could greatly expand the boundaries of space applications. The construction of the constellation is expected to have far-reaching significance for the space industry.
Combined computing power
Reports revealed that the initial satellites, which provide a combined computing power of 5 POPS and 30 terabytes of storage capacity, have the capability of in-orbit computing in space.
One satellite also carried an X-ray polarization detector developed by Guangxi University and the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which will be used to study gamma-ray bursts. Zhejiang Lab said it plans to collaborate with partners to deploy a constellation of more than 50 computing satellites this year.
Beginning of space-based cloud computing as a new capability
The step is expected to mark the beginning of space-based cloud computing as a new capability.
It could open a new arena for strategic competition with the U.S. The ability to reduce bottlenecks for data from space and other capabilities could have potential economic, scientific, and military implications. While the U.S. and Europe have tested edge computing in space, China’s collaborative effort appears to be the first to deploy a purpose-built AI constellation at scale, reported Space News.
