SkyServe is collaborating with scientists  at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and D-Orbit to pioneer advancements in Earth observation systems. The collaboration centers on optimizing and deploying AI models developed under NASA’s New Observations Strategies (NOS) initiative on D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier.

As a part of NASA’s NOS initiative, JPL aims to create a unified network of spaceborne, terrestrial, and airborne sensors. This system envisions near-real-time monitoring of critical phenomena such as wildfires, floods, and urban heat islands, thereby supporting both scientific research and disaster response efforts. Achieving these objectives requires harnessing edge computing to integrate and optimize AI models across diverse sensor configurations.

The collaboration leverages SkyServe’s STORM, an edge-computing platform for satellites that enables seamless deployment of advanced AI applications in orbit. Complementing STORM, the SURGE software suite offers an on-ground environment to test, develop, and deploy AI models on a highly configurable architecture.

This software suite envisions a wide range of use cases from detecting wildfires in Malibu to tracking unregistered ships in the Red Sea—all within the same orbital mission. The rapid adaptability of these systems enhances response times for emergencies and accelerates decision-making.

By simulating the constraints of space embedded environments, SURGE ensures AI models maintain operational consistency across varied satellite platforms and computing environments. This abstraction simplifies the complexities of deployment and management, allowing satellite operators to onboard end users, such as government and commercial entities. SURGE efficiently manages the diverse sensors and computing hardware involved.

“SkyServe’s technology plays a pivotal role in streamlining AI model deployment across diverse satellite platforms, ensuring consistency and efficiency,” said Vishesh Vatsal, CTO of SkyServe. “Our platform bridges the gap between groundbreaking AI models and the hardware diversity of satellite systems, enabling a unified approach to Earth observation.”

D-Orbit’s ION satellite platform enhances these efforts with a robust and adaptable  infrastructure foundation, ensuring seamless integration with SkyServe’s STORM and SURGE for superior in-orbit performance.

This collaboration exemplifies the fusion of EdgeAI solutions with satellite platforms to meet the dynamic challenges of Earth observation. SkyServe is pushing the boundaries of space technology and Earth science, redefining the possibilities of space innovation and driving transformative advancements in global monitoring.