Beijing Launches First Space Computing Innovation Center

Beijing has officially established its first Space Computing Industry Innovation Center, marking a strategic milestone in China’s push to develop space-based computing capabilities. The center, approved by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology and co-founded by Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) with leading enterprises, was announced on June 1 at the Beijing Satellite IoT Industry Development Conference in Haidian District, according to Xinhua News.

Strategic Context

The initiative comes as China enters the first year of its “15th Five-Year Plan” (2026-2030), which explicitly prioritizes the construction of a national integrated computing network and satellite internet infrastructure. As Xinhua reported, the plan calls for “moderately超前 building new infrastructure” across three key networks: the national integrated computing network, satellite internet, and information and communications networks. This marks the first time space computing has been elevated to such a level of national strategic priority.

Industry experts cited by Xinhua noted that satellite IoT is an important carrier of “new quality productive forces” (新质生产力), a concept promoted by the Chinese government emphasizing technology-driven economic transformation. The integrated space-ground development, they said, cannot advance without robust space computing support.

Six Core Research Areas

The innovation center has identified six major research areas spanning the entire space computing value chain, from hardware to commercial operations:

1. High-reliability, heat-resistant space-native computing chips
2. High-performance, super-interconnected space computing payloads
3. Space computing satellite platforms and standards systems
4. Power-constrained space large models
5. Integrated space-ground cloud-based measurement and control networking
6. Space computing service-ization and Tokenization operations

The inclusion of “Tokenization operations” as a research area suggests exploration of blockchain or crypto-economic models for space computing services, indicating innovative commercial thinking alongside technical development.

Dual-Track Development

The Haidian-based center represents one of two parallel initiatives that converged in mid-2026. In April, the Beijing Space Computing Innovation Center was initiated for筹建 at the 2026 Space Computing Industry Conference in Yizhuang (Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, or BDA), as detailed by the National Science and Technology Innovation Center. That center focuses on five research directions — space-based AI chips, space energy and cooling, constellations and spacecraft, space-ground computing networks, and space computing applications — and is led by the BDA Management Committee under guidance from MIIT and the Defense Science Bureau.

According to the Beijing BDA government, the April conference also saw the establishment of the industry’s first “Space Computing Professional Committee” and the release of a “Key Common Technology Challenge List” offering up to 10 million yuan per project. Major enterprises including ZTE, BOE, Galaxy Space, LandSpace, and NavInfo participated in the initiative.

The Haidian center, by contrast, takes a more commercially-oriented approach with its six research areas and emphasis on service-ization and Tokenization. It is scheduled to be formally inaugurated on June 29-30 at the Beijing Space Computing Conference, where an expert committee and industry alliance will also be established.

Haidian Satellite Town

The innovation center is closely tied to the broader Haidian “Satellite Town” plan, located in the Yongfeng area adjacent to China Space City. The plan envisions a “Two Zones + One Platform” layout comprising a pilot zone, a core zone of 540,000 square meters, and a public service platform. The core area is expected to be completed by June 2026 and operational in the second half of the year.

Haidian’s ambitions are substantial: the district plans to have over 1,000 satellites in orbit and an industry scale exceeding 100 billion yuan during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period. The satellite town will provide 1 million square meters of industrial space to support this growth.

Analysis and Implications

The establishment of the innovation center reflects China’s systematic approach to building a self-contained space computing ecosystem. With AI computing demand exploding and low-Earth orbit satellite constellations accelerating deployment globally, space computing represents a new frontier in international technology competition.

The center’s research agenda addresses critical technical bottlenecks identified by industry experts, including space-native AI chips, radiation-hardened components, and power-constrained large models. The involvement of both MIIT and the Defense Science Bureau in the parallel Yizhuang initiative suggests dual civil-military applications.

Multiple application scenarios are being targeted, including low-altitude economy operations, urban emergency response, and ecological monitoring. The “challenge-listing and appointment” mechanism (揭榜挂帅) with significant financial incentives is designed to mobilize private sector participation and accelerate technology commercialization.

What’s Next

The formal inauguration of the innovation center on June 29-30 will mark the next major milestone, with the establishment of an expert committee and industry alliance expected to provide governance structure and strategic direction. The planned launch of the “E算-1号” (E-Suan-1) technology verification satellite will be a key development to watch, as it will provide in-orbit validation of the center’s core technologies.

As China moves from planning to execution in its space computing ambitions, the dual-track approach — combining government-led strategic direction in Yizhuang with university-industry commercial innovation in Haidian — positions Beijing to become a global hub for space-based computing infrastructure.