Geovis Technology Co Ltd recently signed a framework agreement with supercomputer maker Sugon to co-develop an open and inclusive space computing network that links user devices, satellites, space-based infrastructure and ground platforms into a space-ground integrated intelligent computing architecture.
"Once the space computing network is completed, it will enhance global internet access capacity and stability, supporting applications such as remote work, telemedicine, online education, emergency communications and rural digital development," Shao said.
The ambition is fueled by the rapid growth of satellite constellations and increasingly sophisticated payloads and resolutions. "With tens of thousands of satellites planned in the coming years and ever-higher payload and resolution demands, massive data - and thus computing needs - will surge," Shao said.
Shao contrasted bandwidth and weather constraints that limit traditional downlink methods. "Transmission methods like microwaves are slower than many home networks, while laser communication is too weather-dependent. The ideal is to compute in space, then send only the processed results back to earth," he added.
The space information sector spans navigation, weather forecasting, urban planning and resource exploration and is advancing under policy support alongside China's push into the low-altitude economy and commercial spaceflight. New rules for unmanned aircraft took effect in January, and a March roadmap guides general aviation equipment upgrades through 2030.
For Geovis, the Sugon tie-up signals a pivot from strengths in digital earth, AI, big data and cloud integration toward more demanding space-based computation. The companies target high-performance, low-power, high-reliability components, a space computing network, integration with national computing platforms, standards work and ecosystem coordination.
Shao said the goal is to evolve one-way satellite data collection into two-way computing-as-a-service, enabling in-orbit intelligent processing connected to deep ground applications and unlocking opportunities in real-time Earth observation, emergency disaster response and global broadband coverage.
Yet hurdles remain. Deploying equivalent computing power in orbit can cost up to 1,000 times more than on the ground, and space weather - high-energy particles, radiation and temperature extremes - can damage electronic components and erode performance over time.
"Three to five years may yield no returns," Shao said. "But for national capability and the future of space industries, this must be done."
"China's aerospace information industry is integrating into all aspects of social production and everyday life at an unprecedented speed and depth. It is creating enormous economic value and social benefits," said Wu Yirong, academic dean and researcher at the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"In recent years, China's aerospace information sector has made a remarkable leap from a follower to a front-runner, and in some areas even a leader, becoming a new engine for the development of the digital economy," said Deng Maicun, former secretary-general of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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Geovis Technology Co Ltd
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