{"id":17328,"date":"2022-11-29T20:27:54","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T12:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/the-cloud-in-orbit-amazon-web-services-demonstrates-data-analysis-on-a-satellite\/"},"modified":"2022-11-29T20:27:54","modified_gmt":"2022-11-29T12:27:54","slug":"the-cloud-in-orbit-amazon-web-services-demonstrates-data-analysis-on-a-satellite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/the-cloud-in-orbit-amazon-web-services-demonstrates-data-analysis-on-a-satellite\/","title":{"rendered":"The cloud in orbit: Amazon Web Services demonstrates data analysis on a satellite"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An artist\u2019s conception shows D-Orbit\u2019s ION spacecraft deploying smaller satellites. (D-Orbit Illustration)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the past 10 months, Amazon Web Services has been running data through its cloud-based software platform on what\u2019s arguably the world\u2019s edgiest edge: a satellite in low Earth orbit. <\/p>\n

The experiment, revealed today during AWS\u2019 re:Invent conference in Las Vegas, is aimed at demonstrating how on-orbit processing can help satellite operators manage the torrents of imagery and sensor data generated by their spacecraft.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing AWS software to perform real-time data analysis onboard an orbiting satellite, and delivering that analysis directly to decision makers via the cloud, is a definite shift in existing approaches to space data management,\u201d Max Peterson, AWS\u2019 vice president of worldwide public sector, said today in a blog posting. \u201cIt also helps push the boundaries of what we believe is possible for satellite operations.\u201d<\/p>\n

AWS\u2019 experiment was done in partnership with D-Orbit, an Italian-based company that focuses on space logistics and transportation; and with Unibap, a Swedish company that develops AI-enabled automation solutions for space-based as well as terrestrial applications.<\/p>\n

Software tools from AWS \u2014 including the company\u2019s machine learning models and AWS IoT Greengrass \u2014 were integrated into a prototype processing payload built by Unibap. That payload was then placed on D-Orbit\u2019s ION satellite carrier. The ION spacecraft was one of scores of spacecraft sent into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in January. A few weeks after deploying its satellites, D-Orbit\u2019s ION carrier ramped up data processing operations on the payload using AWS\u2019 software.<\/p>\n

During the D-Orbit ION experiment, the team applied various machine learning models to satellite sensor data to identify specific types of objects in the sky, such as clouds and wildfires, as well as terrestrial objects including buildings and ships.<\/p>\n

AWS said that its artificial intelligence and machine learning services helped reduce the size of images by up to 42 percent, resulting in increased processing speeds. The AI system could decide in real time which satellite images should be given high priority for downlinking, and which images could be set aside.<\/p>\n

The team also modified the process for sending data to and from the satellite, to build in more tolerance for communication delays. The modification made it simpler to manage file transfers automatically, without having to manually process downlinks over multiple ground station contacts.<\/p>\n

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