China launches first 12 satellites for ambitious AI space supercomputer

China has reportedly begun assembling an AI-powered supercomputer in space, which is planned to eventually consist of 2,800 satellites orbiting Earth.

The Chengdu-based company ADA Space launched the first 12 satellites of this vast network last week, according to Space News.

Unlike traditional satellites that send raw data to Earth for processing, these satellites can process the data locally onboard, ADA Space explained.

Data collected and stored on the satellites is transmitted to Earth in batches; however, some information may be lost during transmission.

The South China Morning Post reports that less than 10 per cent of satellite data actually reaches Earth due to limited bandwidth and the availability of ground stations, making current systems slow and inefficient.

As part of ADA’s ‘Star Compute’ project, the satellites are equipped with ultra-fast AI processors capable of communicating with each other at speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second via laser links, far faster than traditional satellite communications.

The network collectively shares 30 terabytes of storage — enough capacity to hold 20,000 high-definition movies or 10 years of continuous video recording on a single hard drive, Space News added.

The 12 satellites launched last week carry scientific instruments, including an X-ray polarisation detector designed to capture brief cosmic events like gamma-ray bursts.

In addition to scientific applications, ADA Space said the constellation can create 3D digital twin data that can be used for emergency response, gaming, tourism, and other purposes.

ADA Space announced a collaboration with Zhejiang Lab on the satellite constellation project last summer.

The satellites were launched on May 14 aboard a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.

By Tamilla Hasanova