Alibaba Cloud’s Qwen-3 has become the world’s first AI model to be uploaded and operational in orbit, according to SCMP.
The Chinese startup Adaspace Technology deployed the neural network in a space computing centre, part of the Star-Compute Project—a network of 2,800 satellites designed to power physical artificial intelligence and support training and inference.
The LLM completed several tasks, reported the company’s Executive Vice President Wang Yabo. He noted that the process of uploading prompts from Earth and receiving responses took less than two minutes.
Adaspace’s space centre was launched in May 2025. It became the world’s first constellation of 12 satellites for AI computing.
Space: The Future of AI
Space is becoming a popular site for deploying AI hubs. However, in most cases, these are still just plans.
In January, Elon Musk announced that Tesla would resume work on Dojo3—a previously abandoned project to create a third-generation chip for electric vehicles. Its new purpose is space computing.
The billionaire and several other company leaders believe that the future of data centres lies beyond Earth. They argue that the planet’s energy grids are nearing their limits.
Among the advantages are virtually unlimited access to solar energy and space for equipment deployment. The drawback is the high cost of rocket launches with the necessary infrastructure.
Analysts from the research group 33FG estimated that AI computing in orbit will become economically viable by 2030.
Google was one of the first to take the initiative. The firm announced a plan to create a network of satellites in low Earth orbit to generate energy for powering data centres.
The idea is also supported by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, but Musk has a strategic advantage—control over delivery means.
The entrepreneur plans to use the upcoming IPO of SpaceX to fund his idea of using Starship to launch clusters of computing satellites that can operate in constant sunlight and gather energy around the clock.
Back in September 2024, the institute for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence turned to artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect signs of aliens.