An inspiring day of networking kicking off this years funded projects

The day brought an inspiring atmosphere of networking as we held the kick-off meeting with three groundbreaking projects funded by ESA Phi-Lab Sweden.

Hosted by RISE, the event brought together project teams alongside funding partners SNSA, Vinnova, and ESA, all committed to advancing satellite autonomy.

These projects share a common mission: making satellites more autonomous and less dependent on ground infrastructure. This means faster decisions, reduced data transmission, and smarter space systems that strengthen Sweden’s and Europe’s position in space innovation.

ALERTSAT IOD – Edge-AI for Time-Critical Decision Support from Space

ALERTSAT extracts real-time information from Earth Observation data directly onboard satellites. By transmitting only relevant alerts instead of full datasets, it enables near-real-time decision support for disaster response, civil protection, and environmental monitoring—getting critical information to decision-makers when seconds count.

SPEED – Space Processing on Edge

SPEED develops energy-efficient onboard processing architectures for satellites and UAVs. By combining CPU/GPU hosts with FPGA acceleration, it reduces latency and downlink volume while paving the way for truly autonomous Earth Observation platforms that can process and act on data in real-time.

VAIAS – Validation of an AI Accelerator for Space

VAIAS validates a neuromorphic AI accelerator designed for onboard autonomy in radiation-prone space environments. This disruptive technology enables real-time inference for Earth Observation, deep space exploration, and robotic missions—bringing sophisticated AI decision-making directly into orbit.

These projects demonstrate how AI is transforming space—from Earth observation to deep-space exploration.