Beijing plans to establish a state-of-the-art space data center in near-Earth dawn-dusk orbit, approximately 700 to 800 kilometers above the planet, in a move aimed at advancing space-based computing and communications. The initiative was announced during a meeting held by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission in collaboration with the Beijing Astro-Future Institute of Space Technology and leading local space research institutions and corporations. The proposed center will feature a large-scale, centralized system with a power capacity exceeding 1 gigawatt, incorporating subsystems for space-based computing, relay transmission, and ground control. Each sub-center will be capable of hosting server clusters with millions of computing units, allowing unprecedented processing and data storage capabilities in orbit.
The development of the space data center will proceed in three phases. From 2025 to 2027, efforts will focus on overcoming key technological challenges and launching the first phase of the computing constellation. Between 2028 and 2030, the project will integrate terrestrial data processing with space-based computing power. By 2035, a fully operational large-scale space data center is expected to be established, supporting advanced space-based computing applications.
To drive this ambitious project, an innovation consortium has been formed, led by the Beijing Astro-Future Institute of Space Technology and its affiliated enterprises. The consortium comprises 24 organizations across the industrial landscape, tasked with advancing the construction, operational applications, and integration of the space data center with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, mobile communications, new materials, and renewable energy. This initiative is expected to foster new business models and enhance global capabilities in space-based information and computing services.
