# ADA Space Star Compute: orbital data center program

> China (China), startup. Stage 6 of 7: Pathfinder constellation. It launched 12 computing satellites on one Long March 2D on 2025-05-14, shared with Zhejiang Lab's Three-Body constellation.

- Canonical page: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers/ada-space-star-compute
- This Markdown version: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers/ada-space-star-compute.md
- Data as of: 2026-10-05 (last evidence review)
- How the numbers are made: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers#method

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## Stage evidence

- It launched 12 computing satellites on one Long March 2D on 2025-05-14, shared with Zhejiang Lab's Three-Body constellation. Sources: [Xinhua](http://www.news.cn/tech/20250514/eca3ecd7bb4142dc9a803b9c3a3b72d8/c.html)

## Key figures

- Computing satellites launched (Group 01): 12 satellites. Sources: [Xinhua](http://www.news.cn/tech/20250514/eca3ecd7bb4142dc9a803b9c3a3b72d8/c.html); [CGTN](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-05-14/China-launches-first-batch-of-space-computing-satellite-constellation-1DmXIysPKww/p.html)
- Highest single-satellite compute: 744 TOPS (precision not stated) (company claim). Sources: [Zhejiang Online](https://zjnews.zjol.com.cn/yc/qmt/202505/t20250514_30994148.shtml)
- Group 01 combined compute: 5 POPS (company claim). Sources: [Zhejiang Online](https://zjnews.zjol.com.cn/yc/qmt/202505/t20250514_30994148.shtml)
- Planned constellation: 2,800 satellites (2,400 inference, 400 training) (company claim). Sources: [DTM](https://m.dtm.com.cn/news/202601/181487.html)
- 2025 revenue (prospectus): 703 RMB million (loss RMB 256 million) (company claim). Sources: [Sina Finance](https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-05-15/doc-inhxxspp6235085.shtml)

## Approach

- Orbit: LEO, 500 to 1,000 km, dawn-dusk sun-synchronous and low-inclination (company plan)
- Architecture: Commercial AI computing satellite constellation with laser links and onboard AI; built and co-launched the first 12 Three-Body satellites with Zhejiang Lab
- Power: Solar (not quantified)
- Cooling: Not disclosed
- Compute: Highest single-satellite compute reported at 744 TOPS, with models up to 8 billion parameters; the first 12 satellites about 5 POPS combined with 30 TB storage; laser links up to 100 Gbps
- Customers: Remote sensing and AI model customers; partners include Alibaba; prospectus: 37 AI satellites on order worth RMB 1.231B (as of 2026-05-04)

## Milestones

| Date | Status | Confidence | Milestone | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2024-09 | achieved | Company claim | Claims China's first AI large model computing satellite | [Sina Finance](https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-05-15/doc-inhxycci6224455.shtml) |
| 2025-05-14 | achieved | Confirmed | 12 computing satellites (Group 01) launched on Long March 2D from Jiuquan. Also the first batch of the Three-Body Computing Constellation with Zhejiang Lab. | [Xinhua](http://www.news.cn/tech/20250514/eca3ecd7bb4142dc9a803b9c3a3b72d8/c.html); [CGTN](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-05-14/China-launches-first-batch-of-space-computing-satellite-constellation-1DmXIysPKww/p.html); [DatacenterDynamics](https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/chinas-adaspace-orbits-first-12-ai-cloud-satellites-of-2800-strong-constellation/) |
| 2025-10 | achieved | Reported | RMB 5B bank financing support (credit) reported. Bank of China Sichuan branch, with China Construction Bank and China Investment Corporation. | [China in Space](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinas-space-enterprises-quietly); [China in Space](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ada-space-eyes-launching-2800-ai) |
| 2025-10-13 | achieved | Company claim | Group 02 announced, with the L-10 satellite claimed above 10 POPS. Company claim. | [iQilu](https://news.iqilu.com/shandong/yuanchuang/2025/1013/5858954.shtml) |
| 2025-11 | achieved | Company claim | Alibaba Qwen3 inference tested on a constellation satellite. ADA Space says it deployed Qwen3 to its Group 01 computing satellites in November 2025 (company executive, 2026-01-26); inference, not training. Query uplinked, answer returned in under two minutes (reported). | [South China Morning Post](https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341388/alibabas-qwen-3-becomes-worlds-first-ai-model-operate-orbit); [Jiemian](https://www.jiemian.com/article/13938719.html) |
| 2026-01 | failed | Reported | Two experimental satellites lost in a launch failure (per prospectus). One customer 3D-printed satellite and one internal test satellite. | [RC Caijing](https://m.rccaijing.com/news-7460919442005488833.html) |
| 2026-04 | achieved | Confirmed | Pre-IPO round of RMB 3.55B at RMB 11.554B post-money | [Sina Finance](https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-05-15/doc-inhxxspp6235085.shtml); [ChinaVenture](https://m.chinaventure.com.cn/news/114-20260518-391398.html) |
| 2026-05-14 | achieved | Company claim | Third Hong Kong listing application filed. Prospectus: 18 AI computing satellites developed across 14 missions. | [Sina Finance](https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-05-15/doc-inhxxspp6235085.shtml) |
| 2026-09-01 | achieved | Reported | Departure ceremony for the first 8 Group 02 satellites. Launch "soon" as of 2026-09-17; no launch found as of 2026-10-05. | [Tencent News](https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20260917A0B88Y00) |

## Announced next steps (as the organisation stated them)

- 2026: Deploy Group 02 and Group 03 computing satellites. Sources: [DTM](https://m.dtm.com.cn/news/202601/181487.html); [SCIO (China)](http://english.scio.gov.cn/chinavoices/2026-04/27/content_118464689.html)
- 2030: About 1,000 satellites networked and commercial service starts. Sources: [DTM](https://m.dtm.com.cn/news/202601/181487.html)
- 2035: Complete the 2,800-satellite computing network. Sources: [DTM](https://m.dtm.com.cn/news/202601/181487.html)

## What to watch (SpaceNexus note, not a prediction)

Whether the 8 Group 02 satellites launch, and the outcome of the Hong Kong listing application.

## Filings (applications, not approvals)

- ITU, 2025-05-14 (reported): Orbit and spectrum approval reported for all 2,800 satellites. Sources: [China in Space](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ada-space-eyes-launching-2800-ai)

## Funding

- Apr 2026: Pre-IPO (RMB 11.554B post-money), RMB 3.55B. two outlets citing the prospectus; not converted to USD. Sources: [Sina Finance](https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-05-15/doc-inhxxspp6235085.shtml); [ChinaVenture](https://m.chinaventure.com.cn/news/114-20260518-391398.html)
- Oct 2025: Bank financing support (credit line, not equity), RMB 5B (not verified to our standard). credit availability, not drawn funding. Sources: [China in Space](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ada-space-eyes-launching-2800-ai)

## Cautions

- Per-satellite TOPS and model-size figures are company and state-media claims at unstated precision.
- Western press often merges ADA's Star Compute and Zhejiang Lab's Three-Body; the first 12 satellites serve both.
- The ITU approval for 2,800 satellites is single-source.

## People

- Lu Chuan (founder, chairman)
- Wang Lei (CEO)
- Zhao Hongjie (Executive VP)

## Sources

- [Xinhua](http://www.news.cn/tech/20250514/eca3ecd7bb4142dc9a803b9c3a3b72d8/c.html)
- [CGTN](https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-05-14/China-launches-first-batch-of-space-computing-satellite-constellation-1DmXIysPKww/p.html)
- [Zhejiang Online](https://zjnews.zjol.com.cn/yc/qmt/202505/t20250514_30994148.shtml)
- [DTM](https://m.dtm.com.cn/news/202601/181487.html)
- [Sina Finance](https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-05-15/doc-inhxxspp6235085.shtml)
- [Sina Finance](https://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-05-15/doc-inhxycci6224455.shtml)
- [DatacenterDynamics](https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/chinas-adaspace-orbits-first-12-ai-cloud-satellites-of-2800-strong-constellation/)
- [South China Morning Post](https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3341388/alibabas-qwen-3-becomes-worlds-first-ai-model-operate-orbit)
- [Jiemian](https://www.jiemian.com/article/13938719.html)
- [China in Space](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/chinas-space-enterprises-quietly)
- [China in Space](https://www.china-in-space.com/p/ada-space-eyes-launching-2800-ai)
- [RC Caijing](https://m.rccaijing.com/news-7460919442005488833.html)
- [ChinaVenture](https://m.chinaventure.com.cn/news/114-20260518-391398.html)
- [Tencent News](https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20260917A0B88Y00)
- [iQilu](https://news.iqilu.com/shandong/yuanchuang/2025/1013/5858954.shtml)
- [SCIO (China)](http://english.scio.gov.cn/chinavoices/2026-04/27/content_118464689.html)

## Licence and credits

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