The Space Edge One computer (SE-1) developed by Australian startup, Spiral Blue, launched as a hosted payload aboard a Satellogic NewSat spacecraft on the Transporter-6 Rideshare mission, which departed aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Developed through Satellogic’s Hosted Payload Program, this joint mission will complete Spiral Blue’s flight testing program for its latest generation Space Edge Computing technology. The SE-1 computer will interface with the satellite’s high-resolution imaging system, allowing Spiral Blue to begin testing key onboard image processing applications, such as cloud detection, ship detection, cropping, and compression. 

The latest Space Edge Computer utilizes the NVIDIA Xavier NX chip and possesses far greater onboard processing power, storage, thermal control, faster interfacing, and other improvements than its predecessor, Space Edge Zero.

The goal is to integrate these capabilities with Spiral Blue’s Space Edge Services platform, Cobalt, enabling customers to task the satellite to capture images and carry out onboard processing depending on their needs.

This is the fourth Spiral Blue Space Edge Computer, and the first SE-1 to launch. Spiral Blue has launched three Space Edge Zero prototypes thus far.

“This launch is a key milestone for us as we work toward providing easier access to Earth observation data and insights.” said Spiral Blue CEO, Taofiq Huq, “This will be our first operational mission, and we’re incredibly excited to start working with our customers for this mission.”

“Our Hosted Payload Program offers an affordable, low-risk option to test proprietary and experimental payloads in orbit,” said Thomas VanMatre, Vice President of Global Business Development at Satellogic. “We’re excited to make the opportunity for rapid testing and accelerated technology development available to customers.”

Spiral Blue was recently a recipient of the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars Supply Chain Capability Improvement Grant, a grant which supports the Australian space industry to build capacity to deliver products and services into domestic and/or international space industry supply chains that could support Moon to Mars activities. This grant is supporting the development of Spiral Blue’s Space Edge Services platform. 

The company is also working with other space hardware manufacturers through an Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre Commercialisation Grant. This grant is supporting Spiral Blue’s Rainbow Python mission, integrated hyperspectral imaging, and edge computing platform.

Click here to learn about Spiral Blue's Satellite Imagery Platform.