Satellite manufacturer Spire Global and Canada’s Mission Control have partnered to form the Persistence Mission, which will explore the power of artificial intelligence in space. The partnership, announced at the International Aeronautical Congress in Milan this week, is expected to showcase how AI can be reliably used onboard satellites over a long period to generate actionable insights in real-time.
Spire has agreed to build and operate the LEMUR 6, a 6U satellite with an optical payload that will provide images of the Earth for analysis by Mission Control’s onboard AI algorithms. Mission Control has agreed to demonstrate its SpacefarerAI platform, which is designed to streamline the deployment and update of AI models for spaceflight applications.
SpacefarerAI is expected to simplify how mission teams can harness the power of AI directly onboard their spacecraft, ushering in a new era for the use of AI in space and a better understanding of the Earth supported by AI.
“AI has proven itself as a critical tool in extracting valuable insights from the huge dataset generated from spacecraft observing the Earth,” said Mission Control Founder and CEO Ewan Reid. “By moving the intelligence to the edge, onto the spacecraft itself, we will unlock new capabilities in intelligent remote sensing that are crucial to the future of earth observation and space exploration.”
Spire will manage the full lifecycle of the 6U satellite, from design and build to launch and operation. With over 13 years of experience in end-to-end satellite manufacturing, Spire operates the world’s largest multi-purpose constellation and has launched over 180 satellites.
“By leveraging our expertise in satellite and payload design, build and operation alongside Mission Control’s innovative AI software, this mission represents a significant step forward in advancing on-orbit AI processing,” said Spire COO Theresa Condor. “We are excited to contribute to the development of cutting-edge autonomous systems and driving technological progress in the space sector.”
The mission will advance how satellites can reliably use key AI technologies to gain important insights about Earth faster and more effectively. The Canadian Space Agency is providing financial support to Mission Control so it can demonstrate how its AI technology can advance on-orbit processing.
The satellite is scheduled for launch no earlier than 2025.
