CONNECT WITH US
Sep 22
China puts AI computing into orbit with first integrated satellite launch
China has taken another step toward deploying artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure in space after a commercial rocket launched nine satellites, including the country's first integrated "rocket-and-satellite" AI computing project.

China's BeiDou satellite navigation industry continues to expand rapidly, with applications spreading from chips and modules to end devices. Emerging technologies including artificial intelligence are increasingly being integrated with BeiDou, while the industry is shifting from hardware sales towards data, platforms, and services. Overseas markets are also emerging as a key source of future growth.

Sharp is developing a compact satellite communications antenna capable of connecting to multiple satellite networks, aiming to commercialize terminals around 2030 for applications including defense, autonomous driving, and remote operation of construction machinery, according to Nikkei Asia.

Autonomous software company Swarmer, based in Austin, Texas, has agreed to acquire Ukrainian unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) maker Ratel Robotics in a deal worth up to US$224 million. The acquisition aims to combine frontline battlefield experience with AI coordination software to build a platform that can integrate both ground and air unmanned systems.
FarEasTone Telecommunications has cleared four of the six regulatory steps required to bring Amazon Leo to Taiwan, but commercial service will not start until 2027 at the earliest, in line with Amazon's own timetable.
As countries worldwide accelerate efforts to develop homegrown defense technology capabilities, Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) showcased three key technologies at the Taiwan Innotech Expo 2026 (TIE), aimed at moving defense research from the laboratory to the battlefield and advancing dual-use applications.
Starlink's massive scale in conventional low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites has markedly reinforced the satellite giant's aggressive grip on the commercial space industry for the next decade or so.

Very low Earth orbit (VLEO) is moving from concept toward real-world deployment.

The broader high-tech landscape has wondered for years about the subtle transactions and movements unfolding underneath the enormous technology ecosystem Elon Musk has stitched together amid a rapidly expanding business reach across AI-driven industries.
China's rare earth export controls are changing the rules governing global critical mineral supply chains. For Taiwan, the real concern is not that China could suddenly halt all exports one day, but that export licensing, end-use reviews, price volatility, longer lead times, and "hidden dependencies" embedded in intermediate materials and components could gradually raise the cost and uncertainty of maintaining normal production.
While the US showcases its strength as one of the world's established space powers — reinforced by SpaceX's growing dominance in satellite connectivity — a quieter but equally ambitious force is accelerating half a world away: China's push to build integrated, fully networked orbital infrastructure that goes beyond single-satellite launches.

The UK government has pledged GBP30 million (approx. US$40.6 million) to SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, placing domestic orbital launch capability at the center of its new space strategy as it seeks to advance commercial rocket launches, satellite communications, and national security in parallel.