The recent trial evaluated an architecture of four simulated users, eight services, and four computers, using one physical computer on an orbiting spacecraft to execute the software. During the test, Satlyt's platform evaluated workloads and generated operational plans directly on orbital hardware before downlinking results to Earth. Researchers identified trade-offs between computing power and operational effectiveness, as well as a software logging issue regarding transit times. With software already operating on three satellites, the company aims to expand tests across multiple physical spacecraft and push beyond low Earth orbit.
Key points
Onboard orbital processing is designed to decrease mission reliance on ground analysis an…: Onboard orbital processing is designed to decrease mission reliance on ground analysis and traditional satellite downlinks.
Researchers discovered that achieving the most effective computational approach required…: Researchers discovered that achieving the most effective computational approach required significantly higher amounts of computing power.
NASA has not officially chosen Satlyt's data processing technology for any designated fut…: NASA has not officially chosen Satlyt's data processing technology for any designated future space missions.
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Naturally, Rama Afullo’s first reaction was, “Let’s GOOOO,” he said. His company, Satlyt, is building software to turn existing satellites into data processing networks, similar to the orbital data center concept. And he just took another step closer to that.
After 13 months of work, the company had a successful test earlier this month. Working with the University of Houston on a NASA-funded research project, the test showed how the startup’s software can spread out tasks among computers while in orbit based on communication and available compute.
He said the goal is to create software that connects to multiple satellites to share computing assignments. Users of the system “will only need to define permissions, priorities, and operating limits,” while the software will make decisions within those limits, Afullo told TechCrunch. Its software is already on three satellites in orbit and the first step to that vision was this test. While the test used NASA-funded research, the agency has not yet selected it for any particular mission or chosen it to deploy its technology.
The regional navigation system NavIC had dwindled to just three operational spacecraft, falling below the four-satellite threshold required for standalone positioning capability. This critical deployment addresses shortages caused by an earlier mission malfunction and restores sovereign positioning, navigation, and timing infrastructure across the country. The spacecraft also introduces signals that significantly broaden interoperability for standard civilian devices.
India's space program has introduced advanced domestic timing technology and expanded frequency bands to enhance its regional positioning infrastructure. This modernisation push aims to sustain the country's sovereign alternative to foreign global systems like GPS and BeiDou. The operational deployment will broaden receiver compatibility and ensure continuity for critical regional timing and navigation services.
The specimen, recovered from the Sahara desert, provides scientists with a tangible sample representing the early crust of Mars. Examining this rare geological rock allows researchers to directly investigate the planetary formation and early history of the Red Planet. This discovery marks a significant step forward in understanding the evolutionary conditions present on Mars billions of years ago.