China Launches Feasibility Study for Space-Based Intelligent Computing Constellation

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced a national feasibility study on April 7 for a space-based intelligent computing constellation — a network of satellites carrying radiation-hardened AI compute chips linked by inter-satellite laser communications. The initiative envisions deploying AI inference capabilities in low Earth orbit, enabling real-time AI processing for disaster response, agricultural monitoring, maritime surveillance, and military applications without relying on ground-based data centers. The study will examine the technical requirements for space-borne AI accelerator chips hardened against cosmic radiation, inter-satellite optical communication bandwidth, and power generation constraints in LEO. China's constellation currently includes Tiangong space station (with onboard AI processing), BeiDou navigation satellites, and the 650-satellite HAPS/LEO internet fleet. The space computing initiative is part of China's 15th Five-Year Plan ambition to extend digital infrastructure into new dimensions — air, space, and undersea — as part of its 'ubiquitous computing' strategy.