Artificial Intelligence powers latest InCubed activity from Planetek Italia

On Wednesday 13 January 2021, Planetek’s AI-express (AI^X) platform joined ESA’s InCubed programme with the official kick-off meeting and virtual contract signing. The AI^X  Incubed activity will develop a hybrid in-orbit data processing platform powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain technology.

Planetek’s AI^X platform brings a new satellite as-a-service concept to the market and makes on-demand, in-orbit resources such as data and actionable information available to users. AI^X will provide an on-board software environment enabling the development of new Earth Observation (EO) based space apps within a user-friendly dedicated store on the ground.

Representatives from ESA’s InCubed programme, Planetek Italia, D-Orbit and AIKO attended the virtual signing earlier this year. On signing the contract, Planetek CEO Giovanni Sylos Labini said: ‘’We are excited to work within ESA’s InCubed programme, with D-Orbit and AIKO, to develop an innovative platform that, thanks to AI and edge-computing, will provide a new generation of Earth Observation tools.’’

With AI^x, Planetek supports the space commercial evolution by providing users with a testbed for state-of-the-art technologies, including AI and Blockchain technologies. This hybrid edge ecosystem will give the users EO payloads, ready-to-deploy CubeSats, and software framework infrastructure.

After signing the contract Amanda Regan, Head of the Φ-Lab Invest Office and InCubed Programme Manager, added: ‘’ESA’s InCubed programme is always looking for innovative activities like AI^x to exploit state-of-the-art technologies for the benefit of potential customers. We look forward to working with Planetek, De-Orbit and Aiko to shape the future of EO applications and technologies.’’

Planetek has already started InCubed activities, including customer consultation, design trade-offs and prototypal implementations.

The consortium is also organising an online workshop on Wednesday 24 March, 10:30, addressed to interested customers and stakeholders. This will be the occasion to present the product and the specific techonology it uses but also to show the added value of AI^x services.

Registrations are opened at https://mc.planetek.it/ai-express_workshop.

More information about the AI^X InCubed activity can be found here.