Shanghai startup begins first phase of planned 1,000-satellite space computing network

BEIJING: Shanghai Xingshu Tiansuan Space Technology said on Saturday it had put into orbit the first group of satellites for a space-based computing programme that is ultimately intended to include 1,000 satellites.

The company said the launch moves China closer to commercial operations for what it described as the country’s first computing network in space. The announcement came as Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, where he presented Beijing as a supporter of a new global AI framework based on equity and cooperation.

According to information on the company’s website, the Tiansuan Constellation is being developed as an open satellite research platform in three stages. The first phase consists of six satellites, followed by a second phase of 24 satellites, while the third phase is set to expand the project to 300 satellites. The platform is designed to allow researchers around the world to carry out experiments using real satellites and assess practical applications for satellite computing and networking.

Supporters of space-based computing argue that sending processed results back to Earth, instead of large volumes of raw data, could cut delays and reduce strain on communications bandwidth. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is pursuing similar orbital computing efforts following its merger with xAI in February, as part of broader attempts to speed up artificial intelligence development.