Alibaba Group Holding Limited is charting new territory in the realm of artificial intelligence by successfully deploying its Qwen-3 model in an orbital environment, making it the premier general-purpose AI model to operate remotely beyond Earth’s surface. This significant technical achievement was realized through collaboration with Adaspace Technology, a Chinese aerospace startup that specializes in advanced space computing infrastructure and has taken notable strides in AI operations beyond terrestrial limits.
Adaspace Technology’s leadership disclosed that the Qwen-3 model was transferred to and executed within their orbital computing center, a component of a wider initiative termed the "Star-Compute Project." According to executive vice-president Wang Yabo, the partnership has already accomplished multiple on-orbit inference tasks as of November. The entire workflow—from transmitting queries from ground stations, conducting AI inference in space, to transmitting results back to Earth—was remarkably completed in under two minutes, according to a report by Star Market Daily.
This orbital AI inference represents a fundamental milestone for Alibaba, illustrating China’s expanding prowess in space-based technology applications. The company’s AI initiative in space is managed under the umbrella of Alibaba Cloud and serves as a potential engine for the enterprise’s long-term expansion in emerging computational domains.
The significance of this venture is closely tied to the Star-Compute Project’s scope, which aims to build a constellation of approximately 2,800 satellites designed to deliver both AI processing capabilities and AI model training in orbit. The first of these orbital AI computing centers was launched in May of the previous year and comprises a network of 12 satellites, establishing the world’s first AI computing satellite constellation according to the Securities Times.
Notably, the Qwen-3 model itself was introduced in April of last year and has contributed to Alibaba Cloud’s flourishing Qwen ecosystem. This ecosystem development has seen Alibaba’s AI offering grow robustly, such that it now surpasses Meta Platforms Inc.’s Llama community in terms of scale and integration.
Looking ahead, Adaspace has plans to expand its space AI architecture substantially. Their roadmap includes the construction and deployment of two additional space computing centers, scheduled for launch in 2026. In addition, the company is targeting deployment of 2,400 satellites dedicated to inference tasks and another 400 satellites focused on AI training in low-Earth orbit, with full constellation deployment anticipated by 2035, according to Jiemian News.
This space computing expansion aligns with the strategic emphasis China places on aerospace development through 2030, reflecting the nation’s commitment to strengthening its presence in orbital technology amidst global competition, especially with the United States.
Alibaba’s stock performance seems positively influenced amid these technological developments. On Tuesday, the company’s shares rose by approximately 1.68%, closing near $174.25 during premarket trading, based on data from Benzinga Pro. The stock’s upward movement may be seen by investors as reflective of Alibaba’s innovative positioning within the AI sector, particularly the promising applications of space-based AI computing.
In summation, Alibaba’s successful deployment of the Qwen-3 model into orbit stands out as a landmark event, revealing new dimensions for AI utilization in space. The development not only showcases technological innovation but also exemplifies strategic foresight into the convergence of AI with aerospace advancements, which could redefine computation and data processing paradigms in the years ahead.
Adaspace Technology’s leadership disclosed that the Qwen-3 model was transferred to and executed within their orbital computing center, a component of a wider initiative termed the "Star-Compute Project." According to executive vice-president Wang Yabo, the partnership has already accomplished multiple on-orbit inference tasks as of November. The entire workflow—from transmitting queries from ground stations, conducting AI inference in space, to transmitting results back to Earth—was remarkably completed in under two minutes, according to a report by Star Market Daily.
This orbital AI inference represents a fundamental milestone for Alibaba, illustrating China’s expanding prowess in space-based technology applications. The company’s AI initiative in space is managed under the umbrella of Alibaba Cloud and serves as a potential engine for the enterprise’s long-term expansion in emerging computational domains.
The significance of this venture is closely tied to the Star-Compute Project’s scope, which aims to build a constellation of approximately 2,800 satellites designed to deliver both AI processing capabilities and AI model training in orbit. The first of these orbital AI computing centers was launched in May of the previous year and comprises a network of 12 satellites, establishing the world’s first AI computing satellite constellation according to the Securities Times.
Notably, the Qwen-3 model itself was introduced in April of last year and has contributed to Alibaba Cloud’s flourishing Qwen ecosystem. This ecosystem development has seen Alibaba’s AI offering grow robustly, such that it now surpasses Meta Platforms Inc.’s Llama community in terms of scale and integration.
Looking ahead, Adaspace has plans to expand its space AI architecture substantially. Their roadmap includes the construction and deployment of two additional space computing centers, scheduled for launch in 2026. In addition, the company is targeting deployment of 2,400 satellites dedicated to inference tasks and another 400 satellites focused on AI training in low-Earth orbit, with full constellation deployment anticipated by 2035, according to Jiemian News.
This space computing expansion aligns with the strategic emphasis China places on aerospace development through 2030, reflecting the nation’s commitment to strengthening its presence in orbital technology amidst global competition, especially with the United States.
Alibaba’s stock performance seems positively influenced amid these technological developments. On Tuesday, the company’s shares rose by approximately 1.68%, closing near $174.25 during premarket trading, based on data from Benzinga Pro. The stock’s upward movement may be seen by investors as reflective of Alibaba’s innovative positioning within the AI sector, particularly the promising applications of space-based AI computing.
In summation, Alibaba’s successful deployment of the Qwen-3 model into orbit stands out as a landmark event, revealing new dimensions for AI utilization in space. The development not only showcases technological innovation but also exemplifies strategic foresight into the convergence of AI with aerospace advancements, which could redefine computation and data processing paradigms in the years ahead.