“Our Orbital Data Center (ODC) nodes will soon be open for business,” said Kam Ghaffarian, CEO of Axiom Space, in a statement. “We have agreements in place with users around the world to deploy initial, space-based cloud services, not just demonstrations of capabilities.”

Axiom Space is set to launch two orbiting data center nodes into low Earth orbit by the end of this year, as the first step in the development of off-planet computing infrastructure. The two satellites will be part of the upcoming optical relay constellation by Canada-headquartered Kepler Communications, which is expected to begin launching in late 2025.

Breaking the Earth-observation bottleneck

Currently, satellites need to beam their images to Earth for processing, which introduces delays. Analyzing data directly in orbit will also make the use of available bandwidth more efficient, as only images containing the requested information will be sent down. Bypassing the need to downlink data to ground stations scattered around the world will also mitigate security concerns, such as possible interception of data by adversary actors.

Technological advancements

Axiom Space has previously tested a demonstration payload based on Amazon Web Services’ mini edge computer Snowcone at the International Space Station. In March, Axiom announced it would launch a larger edge computer, the Data Center Unit-1 (AxDCU-1), to the space station in the coming months. The AxDCU-1 payload will help the company test hardware and software before the deployment of the ODCs.

1. Axiom Space will launch two satellites into low Earth orbit, with each weighing 573 pounds (260 kilograms).
2. The satellites will be connected to the Kepler Communications optical relay constellation.
3. The ODCs will operate autonomously, without the need of constant oversight by Earth-based ground controllers.
4. The data centers will be connected via high-speed 2.5 Gbps laser links to the other satellites of the Kepler Communications constellations, as well to data centers on Earth.

Advantages of orbital data centers

Some technologists think that power-hungry computing infrastructure would in the future do better in space, where solar power is constant and cooling is easy. On top of that, the growing need for data centers on Earth is putting pressure on the real estate market and energy grids, affecting local communities.

1. Orbital data centers will be able to operate more autonomously, without the need of constant oversight by Earth-based ground controllers.
2. The constant availability of solar power in space will reduce the need for traditional cooling systems.
3. The reduced power consumption will also lead to lower energy costs.

Challenges and limitations

Before orbital data centers can take off in a big way, technologists must make sure that the technology can withstand the harsh environment of space, especially the strong radiation that frequently shortens the lifespan of electronic devices.

While there are challenges to overcome, the benefits of orbital data centers far outweigh the drawbacks.

The future of off-planet computing

The first two nodes of Axiom Space’s planned orbital cloud-computing system, dubbed ODC 1 and 2, will be placed on two of the 10 upcoming Kepler Communications satellites. The satellites will be used to process data from Earth-observation satellites, using complex AI and machine-learning algorithms to speed up the delivery of valuable insights to users on the ground.