In a bold leap that redefines computing's frontier, China has surged ahead in mass-producing 2D semiconductors, powering the world's first orbital datacenters. These atom-thin chips, forged from materials like molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), shatter silicon's limits, enabling sub-1nm transistors that sip power and shrug off cosmic radiation. Launched from Shanghai's pioneering pilot line back in 2026, China's state-backed semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) now churn out billions of these chips annually, fueling a space-based cloud revolution.

Orbiting at 400 kilometres, the Tianhe Constellation – a network of 50 modular datacenters – processes AI workloads for global clients, from climate modelling to quantum simulations. "We've turned the sky into Silicon Valley," boasts Dr Li Wei, chief engineer at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. "While the west chased silicon ghosts, we built the future in 2D."

This dominance stems from Beijing's pivot amid US export curbs in the 2020s. Leapfrogging EUV lithography, Chinese engineers mastered chemical vapor deposition for scalable MoS2 layers, slashing energy use by 93% compared to chips from silicon wafers. Now, SpaceX and Blue Origin are scrambling to catch up, but shielding silicon chips from cosmic radiation isn’t easy. China's low-Earth orbit monopoly handles petabytes of data with near-zero latency for AR glasses, autonomous cars, and humanoid robots.

We’re enjoying a greener planet as power-hungry ground servers retire, but geopolitical tensions are rising. "Forget about the Moon, we’re losing the computing space race," warns an outspoken US Senator. Startups and small businesses worldwide love China's open access fabs, democratizing space tech, but whispers of hidden ‘backdoors’ fuel cyber paranoia.

As 2D chips propel humanity onward and upward, one thing is clear: The future of computing is infinitely thin, and infinitely high.