European Space Agency to Launch AI-Integrated Satellite for Better Earth Observation

The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch Φsat-2 (pronounced phisat-2), a 6U CubeSat with an integrated AI computer, which will demonstrate the benefits of using AI for innovative Earth observation.

According to the description on the ESA website, “the miniature satellite measures 22 x 10 x 33 cm and carries a multispectral instrument that images Earth in seven different bands (plus a panchromatic band) in the visible to near-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum.”

Φsat-2 is a dedicated AI mission with six AI applications running onboard that are designed to do the following:

1. Cloud detection

2. Street map generation

3. Maritime Vessel Detection

4. Onboard image compression and reconstruction

5. Marine anomaly detection

6. Wildfire detection

ESA’s Φsat-2 Technical Officer, Nicola Melega, commented, “Φsat-2 will unlock a new era of real-time insights from space and will allow for custom AI apps to be easily developed, installed, and operated on the satellite even while in orbit. This adaptability maximizes the satellite's value for scientists, businesses, and governments.”

Notably, the Φsat-2 mission is a collaborative effort between ESA and Open Cosmos, supported by an industrial consortium including Ubotica, GGI, CEiiA, GEO-K, KP-Labs, and SIMERA.

ESA has further informed that Φsat-2 is scheduled to ascend in July 2024 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in the US.