China’s “Three-Body Computing Constellation” Launches, Ushering in the Era of Space-Based AI

A New Frontier: Satellites That Think for Themselves

At 12:12 a.m. Eastern on May 14 (0412 UTC), China’s Long March 2D rocket roared to life at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, deploying a groundbreaking fleet of 12 satellites. Dubbed the “Three-Body Computing Constellation,” this network isn’t just another cluster of eyes in the sky—it’s the world’s first dedicated orbital computing platform, capable of 5 peta operations per second (POPS) and housing 30 terabytes of onboard storage. The mission? To process data in space, slashing reliance on ground stations and redefining what satellites can do.

“This isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a paradigm shift. Satellites are evolving from dumb pipes into intelligent nodes,” says an ADA Space engineer.

The constellation packs a futuristic toolkit: AI-driven decision-making, 100 Gbps laser links for inter-satellite chatter, high-resolution remote sensing, and even a cosmic X-ray polarimeter to hunt gamma-ray bursts. Led by ADA Space and Zhejiang Lab, the project is Phase 1 of the ambitious “Star-Compute Program,” which aims to deploy 2,800 satellites by 2030. The goal? Real-time space computing dominance and a stake in the $1.3 trillion space infrastructure market.

From Sensing to Synapses

Traditionally, satellites collect data and dump it to Earth for processing—a bottleneck that wastes time and bandwidth. The Three-Body Constellation flips the script. By analyzing imagery, spotting anomalies, and even predicting space weather onboard, it could cut response times for disasters or military alerts from hours to seconds. ADA Space, founded in 2018 and now eyeing a Hong Kong IPO, partnered with Zhejiang Lab (a 2017-born research hub backed by SoftStone and Kepu Cloud) to weave ground-based AI into the orbital fabric.

“Imagine a satellite that detects a wildfire, models its spread, and alerts firefighters—all before its next sunrise pass,” notes a Zhejiang Lab whitepaper.

The launch marks China’s 26th orbital attempt this year, with a packed manifest ahead: Zhuque-2E (May 15), Ceres-1 (May 19), Long March 7A (May 20), and the Tianwen-2 asteroid probe (May 28–30). But the Three-Body project stands apart—it’s not just about reaching space, but teaching it to think.