Chinese term (fù zīchǎn)
The Chinese term 负资产 (fù zīchǎn) translates to negative equity or underwater asset in English, depending on the context.
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World’s first space-based AI supercomputer
China launched 12 satellites on May 14, 2025, as the initial phase of building what they are calling the world’s first space-based AI supercomputer.
This ambitious project is known as the “Three-Body Computing Constellation” and is part of a broader “Star Compute” initiative. The goal is to deploy a total of 2,800 satellites that will function as an orbital data processing network.
Key aspects of this development include:
Onboard Processing: Unlike traditional satellites that primarily collect data and send it back to Earth for processing, these new satellites are designed to process and analyze data directly in orbit using advanced AI-powered computing systems. This significantly reduces reliance on ground stations and overcomes bandwidth limitations that prevent over 90% of raw satellite data from reaching Earth.
High Performance: Each of the initial 12 satellites is equipped with an 8-billion parameter AI model and can perform 744 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Collectively, this first cluster delivers 5 peta operations per second (POPS). The ultimate goal for the full constellation is to achieve 1,000 POPS, which would be far more powerful than many Earth-bound supercomputers.
Interconnectivity: The satellites are interconnected using ultra-fast laser communication links, capable of transferring data at up to 100 gigabits per second, and share 30 terabytes of onboard storage.
Developers: The project is led by Chinese companies like ADA Space in collaboration with Zhejiang Lab and Neijang High-Tech Zone.
Benefits and Applications:
Reduced latency and increased efficiency: By processing data in space, it eliminates delays and bottlenecks associated with transmitting data back to Earth.
Environmental advantages: Space-based data centers can utilize solar power and naturally dissipate heat into space, reducing energy consumption and the carbon footprint compared to large terrestrial data centers.
Diverse applications: The system is envisioned for real-time applications in disaster monitoring, urban planning, virtual tourism, real-time interactive media, and scientific research (e.g., using X-ray polarization detectors to study cosmic events).
Strategic implications: This development is seen as a significant step in China’s push for AI dominance and technological leadership in space, potentially influencing future global computing infrastructure and geopolitical competition.