Supercomputing in space

China took a leap into the future of computing as it launched the initial 12 satellites of its ambitious Three-Body Computing Constellation, the world's first try at constructing a space-based supercomputer network.

- REWATI KARAN

ON MAY 14,

Launching from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre on a Long March 2D rocket, every satellite is filled with smart computing apparatus and laser-quick inter-satellite communication connections, opening a new era of in-orbit data processing. When completely rolled out, this constellation will provide 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS) — matching Earth's strongest supercomputers such as the US-based El Capitan, which has a rating of 1.72 POPS.

China's existing 12-satellite launch already provides a respectable 5 POPS and has 30 terabytes of onboard storage, as per Chinese media.

What makes this unique is not only the computing power, but where it's occurring. In contrast to conventional satellites that send information to Earth to be analysed, the three-body satellites will take decisions on raw data in space with AI-based systems that have 8 billion parameters.

Information will pass between satellites through ultra-high-speed 100 Gbps laser links, lessening dependency on ground-based infrastructure and cutting the time taken to process and respond to enormous amounts of information.

Subimal Bhattacharjee, a defence and cyber security expert and former India country head of General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defence company, opines the launch is an inflection point for global tech dynamics.

"China's launch of those 12 satellites for a space-based supercomputing network is a game-changer," Bhattacharjee told FE.