Spiral Blue has announced a major breakthrough in the field of space-based Earth observation (EO). Spiral Blue has released operational data from successfully running proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in space. By optimizing Australian EO capabilities, Spiral Blue is opening up new horizons for AI-powered advancements in monitoring and understanding our planet. This comes after making history in April 2023 as the 1st Australian company to successfully operate a Space Edge Computer. Following the successful commissioning, Spiral Blue is bringing enhanced EO capabilities to a growing list of international customers.

The compact yet powerful Space Edge One (SE-1) computer designed and launched by Spiral Blue is built to withstand the harsh conditions of space, whilst enabling the use of state-of-the-art AI algorithms. This enables near real-time analysis and decision-making based on the vast amount of Earth observation data collected during space missions.

Figure 1: Telemetry from running Cloud detect on SE-1 in orbit. a) Temperature, b) Power.

Since the successful commissioning of SE-1 in April 2023, the computer has been operating flawlessly in space, demonstrating the ability to process complex tasks and facilitate swift decision-making. The AI algorithms running on these computers have proven to be invaluable in optimizing Earth observation missions, improving the accuracy of data analysis, and providing timely insights for various applications, including cloud detection.

Figure 2: Imagery and output of running Cloud Detect using SE-1 in orbit.

"This is a huge step forward for Spiral Blue and for the global Earth observation ecosystem," said Taofiq Huq, CEO of Spiral Blue. "Now that we've completed our commissioning, we're ready to help our customers test their software in orbit."

The successful operation of AI in space-based Earth observation marks a pivotal moment in our quest to harness the full potential of satellite technology for monitoring our planet, opening doors to a new era of Earth observation.

As Spiral Blue continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, the company remains committed to advancing the frontiers of technology and pioneering new solutions that revolutionize industries and improve our understanding of Earth.

This mission was partly supported by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre Commercialisation grant.

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