Space Weather, Orbital Data Centers, and AI: Mission Space CEO on the Future of Space

Orbital Data Centers and AI

• 🛰️ Axiom Space and Spacebilt Inc. are collaborating to establish an optically interconnected orbital data center (ODC) on the ISS by 2027.
• 💡 This ODC node, named AXO ODC node ISS, will enable storage and processing of data, and running AI/ML workloads for satellites, spacecraft, and astronauts.
• 🚀 The initiative aims to create an ecosystem for orbital cloud infrastructure, mirroring terrestrial cloud services with space platforms and optical communication relays.
• 🧠 Mission Space is partnering with StarCloud to provide high-resolution space weather information, enabling dynamic optimization of power and thermal management for orbital data centers.

Mission Space's Space Weather Monitoring

• 🛰️ Mission Space is building a constellation of 24 satellites, with the first payload launched in March 2025, focusing on radiation and next-generation instruments.
• 📊 Future payloads will track plasma density and neutral density to better calculate satellite drag, and also monitor dust and radiation for lunar and Mars missions.
• 🏆 Mission Space received a Global Tech Award in Space Tech for its current payload.
• 📈 The company aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of space weather by deploying a larger number of smaller, cheaper, and easily replaceable instruments.

Advancements in Space Technology

• ⚡ NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group demonstrated the world's most efficient optical wireless power transmission under atmospheric interference, achieving 15% efficiency over 1 kilometer.
• 🛰️ This technology is crucial for long-distance power delivery in disaster-stricken areas and for space-based power systems.
• 🌐 The Hubble Network, an IoT satellite company, raised $70 million in Series B funding to expand its constellation and enable ubiquitous, low-power connectivity for billions of devices.
• 🚀 Ursa Major was awarded a $34.9 million contract to deliver Draper engines for critical national security applications in space.

AI and Space Data Challenges

• ⚠️ Mary Glazkova highlights that current AI models built on historical data often fail within 6-12 hours and have a high probability of false alarms, making them unreliable for critical space operations.
• 🛰️ She emphasizes that real data is king, especially with the anticipated growth in active satellites from 10,000 to 60,000 by 2030, necessitating rapid and accurate tracking methods.
• ❓ The unpredictability of space weather events, such as whether a coronal mass ejection will hit Earth and its intensity (G1 to G5), remains a significant challenge for AI prediction.
• 📈 The lack of comprehensive and accurate data sets hinders the development of predictably correct AI models for space applications.

World Space Business Week Insights

• 🌍 The Earth observation sector is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by end-user demands from government, investors, insurers, and regulators.
• 🛰️ Security and defense remain dominant revenue drivers, blurring the lines between commercial and military systems.
• 📈 The commercial Earth observation segment is projected to double its market share by 2034, fueled by advanced small satellite platforms and multi-sensor payloads.
• 🇺🇸 US government acquisition models are favoring commercial solutions that leverage existing capabilities and demonstrate performance, with increased investment in AI and commercial solutions.
• 📊 Geospatial companies are monitoring forward-looking illegal activities globally, requiring more appropriate training models for AI.