Indian startup SkyServe, specializing in edge computing (computing on the periphery), conducts tests of artificial intelligence models in cooperation with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the company D-Orbit.
A new approach to Earth observations:
SkyServe, together with JPL, is developing AI models to monitor natural disasters and environmental changes, including fires, floods and urban heat islands. These models are part of NASA's New Observations Strategies Sensorweb initiative, which is aimed at near-instantaneous data processing and transmission for scientific and rescue operations. In March, SkyServe successfully tested JPL's AI models on its STORM computing module, installed on D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier in low Earth orbit.
How the technology works:
STORM processes data directly on board the satellite, which allows:
- Optimize water and vegetation data before transmitting it to Earth.
- Reduce the amount of data to download, simplifying their further analysis.
- Use edge computing to integrate AI models with various sensors.
This approach changes the traditional methods of observation, as it allows data analysis while in orbit, and not just after receiving the signal on Earth.
Scaling technology:
IN 2024 D-Orbit announced plans to equip its ION satellites with STORM technology. Similarly, Loft Orbital installed STORM on its satellites, indicating a growing demand for edge computing in space. Another STORM module is currently operating as an additional payload on the SatRevolution cubesat, which was launched in December on India's PSLV rocket.
Expanding AI capabilities in space.
Besides STORM, SkyServe also offers the Surge platform, which allows you to develop and test AI models on Earth, before integrating them into space missions. This collaboration confirms the prospects of using artificial intelligence for autonomous analysis of satellite data, which can significantly improve climate change monitoring and emergency response.
Source: https://spacenews.com/skyserve-tests-ai-models-with-jpl-and-d-orbit/