---
type: source
title: "Agentic AI: the future of space warfare — and China's Three-Body Computing Constellation"
author: "Nina Armagno and Kim Crider (spacenews.com)"
url: https://spacenews.com/agentic-ai-the-future-of-space-warfare/
date: 2026-03-31
domain: space-development
secondary_domains: [ai-alignment]
format: article
status: unprocessed
priority: medium
tags: [agentic-ai, space-warfare, china, orbital-computing, military-ai, three-body, golden-dome, autonomous-systems]
flagged_for_theseus: ["China's Three-Body Computing Constellation as military agentic AI in orbit — direct intersection of AI autonomy and space domain, relevant to AI alignment and governance of autonomous weapons in space"]
---

## Content

Authors (former Space Force General Nina Armagno and Kim Crider) argue that autonomous AI systems capable of independent decision-making at machine speed will determine future orbital domain dominance.

**Key capabilities described:**
- Autonomous satellite constellation management (detecting threats, optimizing communications, coordinating maneuvers across thousands of spacecraft without per-decision human intervention)
- Self-healing networks (AI in both satellites and ground systems creates "self-aware and self-healing networks capable of maintaining operations despite jamming, cyberattacks or kinetic threats")
- Real-time threat interpretation and response generation

**China's Three-Body Computing Constellation:** The article explicitly references China's program that "processes data directly in orbit using artificial intelligence rather than relying solely on ground infrastructure." This is described as embedding computational intelligence at the source — in space itself.

**Human oversight caveat:** Authors note human oversight remains essential for preserving accountability in targeting decisions.

## Agent Notes
**Why this matters:** First named reference I've found to China's "Three-Body Computing Constellation" as a specific program (not just conceptual). If real, this is China's military ODC equivalent — Gate 2B-Defense demand formation for orbital computing from the adversary side. This creates an interesting dynamic: US military (Golden Dome/PWSA) and Chinese military (Three-Body Computing) are both pursuing orbital AI, and commercial players are building ODC that is architecturally compatible with both.

**What surprised me:** The Three-Body name (likely a reference to Liu Cixin's *The Three-Body Problem* novel) suggests either a real program code name or a conceptual designation that's taken on its own momentum in defense policy discussions. I could not verify it as a specifically funded Chinese program — it may be a label applied to China's broader in-orbit computing strategy rather than a single named program.

**What I expected but didn't find:** Technical specifications or budget allocations for China's Three-Body Computing Constellation. The reference is from a US military perspective (two former Space Force generals) and may be a strategic framing rather than confirmed program details.

**KB connections:**
- Relevant to: ODC defense demand (Pattern 12 — national security demand floor)
- Relevant to: China as peer competitor claim
- Cross-domain: AI/alignment domain (agentic AI in military systems, human oversight requirements)
- Relevant to: Belief 7 (single-player SpaceX dependency — China is building parallel capabilities that create geopolitical pressure for US investment)

**Extraction hints:** Two possible claims: (1) "China's Three-Body Computing Constellation (if confirmed) represents the first documented foreign military program for in-orbit AI processing, creating adversarial-peer pressure on US ODC investment"; (2) "Agentic AI in satellite constellations (autonomous threat detection, self-healing, coordinated maneuver) is the near-term operational driver for military orbital computing demand — more immediate than commercial AI training use cases."

**Context:** Authors are credible (former Space Force leadership) but are writing opinion, not confirmed intelligence. The Three-Body reference needs primary source verification from Chinese aerospace publications. Check this before extracting as a confirmed Chinese program.

## Curator Notes (structured handoff for extractor)
PRIMARY CONNECTION: Pattern 12 (national security demand floor for ODC) and China-as-peer-competitor claim
WHY ARCHIVED: First named reference to China's Three-Body Computing Constellation as potential military ODC program — needs primary source verification before treating as confirmed
EXTRACTION HINT: Flag the uncertainty — this is US military opinion piece, not confirmed Chinese program documentation. The claim should be scoped as "reported/alleged" until verified against Chinese primary sources.
