China is building a satellite network of 2,800 satellites to create an AI network of supercomputers in space.
China has successfully launched the first satellites of a new space computer network. The mission, carried out by satellite company Spacety China, put twelve satellites into orbit around Earth. ADA Space’s “Star Compute program” will contain a total of 2,800 supercomputer satellite systems, writes Space News. These can process collected data themselves instead of relying on Earth.
Twelve AI Satellites
Each satellite is equipped with AI and can communicate with other satellites via laser communication. Together, they have a combined computing power of 5 POPS (peta operations per second) and a maximum bandwidth of 100 Gbps. The network is designed to process data in space itself. This should significantly reduce the amount of information that needs to be sent back to Earth.
The satellites will be used for scientific purposes such as astronomy and observation of gamma-ray bursts, but also to observe Earth. Thanks to built-in AI models, the satellites can process data in real-time. According to the organization, this can help with disaster management, urban planning, and even virtual tourist experiences.
The initial data will be used to develop a data platform for the Neijiang region. Work is also underway on a second series of satellites with even more computing power. Researchers state that this is a major step in the integration of AI into space technology.
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