PowerBank Corporation, a leader in North American energy infrastructure development and asset ownership, provides an additional update on its collaboration with Smartlink AI ("Orbit AI"). The Genesis-1 satellite launched on December 10, 2025, is confirmed by Smartlink AI to now be both operational and operating an artificial intelligence model directly in orbit.
The successful operation of Genesis-1 demonstrates the technical feasibility of deploying and running an artificial intelligence model directly in orbit. By processing data onboard the satellite rather than relying exclusively on ground-based data centers, this milestone provides an initial proof point for Orbit AI's approach to on-orbit computing. Importantly, Genesis-1 represents the first operational element of Orbit AI's planned satellite network, serving as an early validation step ahead of future launches and broader expansion.
Dr. Richard Lu, PowerBank's President and CEO commented, "PowerBank is proud to collaborate with Smartlink AI on their Orbit AI project and the launch of the Genesis-1 satellite. It is excellent for PowerBank and our partners to see first-hand how the new frontier of Artificial Intelligence computing in space is evolving." The achievement comes amid increasing industry attention on orbital AI compute, as rising power demand, cooling constraints, and land limitations place growing pressure on terrestrial data center infrastructure.
Orbit AI's longer-term vision is to build a satellite network in which multiple units operate together as a coordinated system rather than as standalone assets. Each successful launch is intended to incrementally add capability, resilience, and scale to the overall platform.
Genesis-1 represents the first operational node of this planned network. Smartlink AI is targeting a second satellite launch in Q1 2026, with additional launches planned thereafter as the network continues to expand. PowerBank expects to continue as a partner throughout the expansion phases of the Orbital AI project, with PowerBank's solar energy and thermal control contributions expected to become increasingly significant as satellite payloads scale to accommodate higher computational loads and more sophisticated AI inference capabilities. At this time, PowerBank elected not to make an investment in Orbit AI, and the terms of any remuneration for services PowerBank may provide to Orbit AI have not yet been determined. PowerBank cautions that certain operational metrics referenced herein are based on information provided by Orbit AI and have not been independently verified.
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