China has launched the first group of satellites for its ambitious space-based supercomputer project, called the Three-Body Computing Constellation. On May 14, a Long March 2D rocket took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, carrying 12 AI-powered satellites into orbit.
Each satellite is equipped with smart computing systems and high-speed laser links. This lets them process data directly in space, rather than sending it back to Earth like traditional satellites. Currently, less than 10% of space data is returned to Earth, often with delays. This new method solves that problem.
The project was developed by Zhejiang Lab, a government-backed research institute. Once complete, the satellite network is expected to reach a massive computing power of 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS). For comparison, the El Capitan supercomputer in the U.S. runs at about 1.72 POPS.
Jonathan McDowell, a Harvard astronomer, said these space-based data centers could reduce energy use and carbon emissions. That’s because they use solar power and release heat into space—unlike traditional Earth-based data centers, which consume huge amounts of electricity and water for cooling. For example, Google used over 5 billion gallons of water to cool its data centers in 2022.
By doing the computing in orbit, the Three-Body constellation could ease pressure on Earth’s infrastructure and environment. This launch marks a big step forward for China in space technology and global data management.
Source: indiatimes
