Towards Space-Based Computing Infrastructure Network: Development Trends, Network Architecture, Challenges Analysis, and Key Technologies

2025-03-09

AI Summary

To address the poor timeliness of traditional space data transmission—caused by limited ground station coverage and narrow communication windows—this paper proposes a 6G-oriented space-based computing infrastructure network. We establish a hierarchical architecture comprising “remote-sensing constellations—space-based cloud constellations—mission control centers—orchestration data centers—user portals,” systematically defining, for the first time, the space-based computing network architecture. We introduce three novel paradigms: multidimensional heterogeneous resource virtualization, priority-aware dynamic orchestration, and rapid sharing of bursty tasks. Key enabling technologies include satellite edge computing, low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellation networking, intelligent scheduling, and elastic service coordination. The project overcomes critical challenges in scalable, highly reliable, and ultra-low-latency on-orbit real-time processing, thereby establishing a new paradigm for space information processing.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Computer Vision: Remote Sensing / Geospatial AI
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: (Computational) Cognitive Architectures

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems
• Social Networks and Social Media: Computational social science

Abstract

As one of the most promising hotspots in the 6G era, space remote sensing information networks play a key and irreplaceable role in areas such as emergency response and scientific research, and are expected to foster remote sensing data processing into the next generation of killer applications. However, due to the inability to deploy ground communication stations at scale and the limited data transmission window, the traditional model for transmitting space data back to ground stations faces significant challenges in terms of timeliness. To address this problem, we focus on the emerging paradigm of on-orbit space data processing, taking the first step toward building a space-based computing infrastructure network. Specifically, we propose a hierarchical space-based computing network architecture that integrates the space-based cloud constellation system, the remote sensing constellation system, the network operation control center, the orchestration data center and the user access portal, offering a detailed description of their functionalities. Next, we analyze three scientific challenges: the characterization and virtualization of multidimensional heterogeneous resources, the efficient orchestration of multidimensional heterogeneous resources for tasks with varying priorities, and the rapid sharing of multidimensional heterogeneous resources to address burst tasks or system failures. Finally, we discuss key technologies to address the aforementioned challenges and highlight promising research priorities for the future.

Problem

• Addresses timeliness challenges in space data transmission to ground stations.
• Proposes a hierarchical space-based computing network architecture.
• Analyzes challenges in resource orchestration and sharing for space tasks.

Innovation

• Hierarchical space-based computing network architecture
• Integration of cloud and remote sensing constellations
• Efficient orchestration of multidimensional heterogeneous resources