Spiral Blue, a Sydney-based space company that manufactures edge computers for satellites, announced what it claims as a major breakthrough in the field of space-based Earth observation that it said will open up new horizons for AI-powered advancements in monitoring and understanding our planet.
In particular, the company said in a media statement that it has released operational data from successfully running proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in space.
This comes after making history as the first Australian firm to successfully operate a Space Edge Computer in April 2023.
Following the successful commissioning, Spiral Blue will provide expanded EO capabilities to an expanding list of international customers.
According to Spiral Blue, modern artificial intelligence algorithms can be used on the Space Edge One (SE-1) computer, which Spiral Blue constructed and launched.
It is built to resist the harsh conditions of space, and it permits analysis and decision-making based on the enormous amount of Earth observation data gathered during space missions in almost real-time.
Since SE-1’s successful commissioning in April 2023, the company said the computer has been running without a hitch in orbit, showcasing its capacity to handle challenging jobs and speed up decision-making.
These computers’ AI algorithms have shown to be essential for streamlining Earth observation missions, enhancing the precision of data analysis, and delivering pertinent information for a variety of applications, including cloud identification.
“This is a huge step forward for Spiral Blue and for the global Earth observation ecosystem,” said Taofiq Huq, CEO of Spiral Blue.
He added, “Now that we’ve completed our commissioning, we’re ready to help our customers test their software in orbit.”
According to the space company, the successful use of AI in space-based Earth observation is a turning point in our efforts to utilise satellite technology to the fullest extent possible for monitoring our planet, ushering in a new era of Earth observation.
Spiral Blue said it is committed to extending the frontiers of technology and pioneering innovative solutions that change industries and improve our understanding of the Earth as it continues to push the boundaries of what is possible.
Partial funding for the mission came from the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre Commercialisation grant.
