Tiangong space station taikonauts gain AI support

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The three taikonauts on China's orbiting Tiangong space station recently completed their third spacewalk. Unlike their previous missions, they had a new assistant this time around, namely an AI model.

Named after Sun Wukong, the legendary Monkey King, the large-scale artificial intelligence model called Wukong AI was delivered to the Chinese space station by the Tianzhou-9 cargo craft on July 15, along with new-generation spacesuits, fresh fruits and other supplies for the crew in orbit, the China Astronaut Research and Training Center said on Saturday.

Built on a home-grown open-source AI model, Wukong AI is designed to meet the requirements of manned space missions. It has developed a large language model tailored for professional fields and features a knowledge base centered on aerospace flight standards.

The Shenzhou-20 crew members in orbit had already used this AI model to assist in preparations for this past Friday's extravehicular activities. Commander Chen Dong and taikonaut Wang Jie asked Wukong AI for the work schedule a day before conducting their third spacewalk. The AI system quickly replied with relevant links and guidance.

"The content it offered is highly comprehensive," Wang said.

This marks the first time that China's space station has applied and verified large-scale AI model technology. Wukong AI has been operating stably in orbit for one month, while the Shenzhou-20 taikonauts have given positive feedback, said Zou Pengfei, a center staff member.

Zou highlighted that Wukong AI combines both ground and space models in an intelligent question-answering system, with the ground model offering in-depth analysis and the orbiting one solving critical and complex challenges.

In addition, this space-grade AI can deliver fast and accurate support through scenario-based data processing, optimization techniques and customized search strategies. Another feature of the system is that it can be quickly reconfigured and expanded to handle mission planning, data analysis and smart forecasting.

"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 said.

According to footage released by Chinese media outlets, the AI's interface features a cartoon Monkey King wearing a spacesuit, floating above Earth. The orbiting space station can be seen drifting next to him, while a greeting above his head reads: "Hello, I'm Wukong."

In the classic novel "Journey to the West," Sun Wukong is a symbol of agility and intelligence.

The Shenzhou-20 crew, consisting of commander Chen Dong and taikonauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, successfully completed their third spacewalk on Friday. The mission lasted approximately 6.5 hours and was conducted through coordinated efforts between the in-orbit robotic arm and the ground control team, the China Manned Space Agency said. ■