China is rapidly developing an institutional framework to support the construction of a space-based computing infrastructure, marked by the creation of two influential committees with complementary focuses. These bodies aim to coordinate advancements across the entire value chain, from hardware development to standards and system integration.
The Space Computing Working Committee, organized under the China Computer Industry Association and guided by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, held its inaugural meeting in Beijing. Chaired by Wang Jianyu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the committee has already attracted over 100 organizations involved in radiation-hardened chips, computing hardware, power and thermal management, data transmission, satellite constellations, and launch services.
Meanwhile, the Space Computing Power Professional Committee formed earlier this year places emphasis on developing industry standards, practical applications, and integrating terrestrial and space computing systems. This dual-committee approach reflects a typical Chinese industrial policy model, where distinct institutions focus on different segments of technology development.
These organizational efforts align with China’s newly adopted 15th Five-Year Plan, which envisions a comprehensive "sky-Earth-ground" system that fuses communication, navigation, sensing, and computing services. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the state-owned space contractor, emphasizes constructing a gigawatt-scale space computing infrastructure within the 2026-2030 timeframe.
Several Chinese companies are already pioneering technologies to realize this vision. Orbital Chenguang, backed by Beijing, secured substantial funding and credit lines to advance its space computing ambitions. Shanghai Bailing Aerospace aims to develop a 100 kW-class computing platform, while ADA Space and Zhejiang Lab have already launched a 12-satellite constellation called Three-Body. This system enables deployment of multiple AI models across several interlinked satellites, targeting a future orbiting network of 1,000 satellites delivering exaFLOP-level computing power—on par with top terrestrial supercomputers.
Additionally, Shanghai-based companies Oriental Tiansuan and Guangbenwei are collaborating to develop the world’s first space-based optical computing satellite, representing a promising leap in space computing technologies.