Latest additions The following are some of the ways to get in touch with us: China’s Tiangong is a space station. AI Chatbot that is an expert in tactical planning and navigation. Named Wukong AI—after the protagonist of the “Monkey King” legend in Chinese mythology, Sun Wukong—the chatbot The first mission of the new system, launched on mid-July at the International Space Station (ISS), was to support three taikonauts while they were performing a spacewalk.
Information about Wukong AI remains limited. Chinese authorities claim that it was developed from a Chinese open-source AI. According to Xinhua (China’s official news agency), engineers designed it for manned space missions and focused on its knowledge base.
“This system can provide rapid and effective information support for complex operations and fault handling by crew members, improving work efficiency, in-orbit psychological support, and coordination between space and ground teams,” Zou Pengfei from the Taikonaut Training Center. told Xinhua.
The AI was connected to Tiangong by technicians on 15 July. The AI began to provide support one month after the installation. This was the first time China’s station used a large-language model during an in-orbit mission. Wukong AI helped the crew with a 6-and-ahalf hour mission that involved installing space debris prevention devices on the spacewalk by taikonauts and conducting a regular inspection of the space station.
Taikonauts say that they have a new assistant “offers very comprehensive content.” Chinese media refer to Wukong AI’s classic question and answer system as being divided into modules. The first module is installed at the station; the second one is on Earth. The module on the ground performs detailed analysis while the module that is with the crew helps them solve immediate problems. Combining the two modules creates a powerful assistant that can adapt to any mission.
Wukong, the AI-based system on the station and in outer space is not the first. The International Space Station Astrobee already assists astronauts in routine tasks. CIMON is a system that provides conversational support. The particularity of Wukong AI is that it combines the functions of an intelligent assistant—like those used on Earth—with a total focus on space navigation.
Tiangong is at the heart of China’s plan to become a major space power in the coming 30 years. Currently, the station is used as a laboratory in microgravity for experiments which would not be possible on Earth. China intends to extend it in the future and use it as a logistics platform and training facility between Earth and the Moon.
Why is AI named that way? Sun Wukong appears as a legendary character in the classic novel Travel to the West. In China, the tiger is associated with cunning, adaptability endurance and pursuit of knowledge.
Original article published on WIRED en Español This has been translated into Spanish.
