Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly integrated into various technologies, ranging from text generators to smartphone cameras. However, space exploration has yet to see a fully-fledged AI on board a spacecraft – until now.
Enter Klepsydra Technologies, a company specializing in high-performance software for edge computing. One of its products is an AI designed for tasks such as robotic navigation, infrastructure analysis, surveillance, and data quality checks.
This year marks a significant milestone as Klepsydra’s AI will be deployed aboard a spacecraft called Elytra, manufactured by Firefly Aerospace. Elytra, a family of space vehicles, serves various purposes, such as satellite servicing and refueling.
The mission aims to test the AI’s capabilities in processing onboard sensor data and relaying it back to Earth for real-time spacecraft navigation. Additionally, the AI will experiment with dynamically switching between onboard applications.
Deployed on board Elytra for up to a year, Klepsydra’s AI will serve as an edge computing platform alongside other payloads, demonstrating its potential for space applications.
