Partnership with NASA's JPL
Space‑services startup Loft Orbital has teamed up with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA to trial artificial‑intelligence algorithms aboard spacecraft. The collaboration aims to process Earth‑observation data directly in orbit, reducing the delay between acquisition and analysis.
Technical approach
The project will load several AI models—trained for land‑cover classification, cloud detection, and oceanic phenomena—onto a demonstration payload. These models run on a custom onboard processor designed for the power and volume constraints of small satellites.
Anticipated benefits for Earth science
On‑board data pre‑processing enables scientists to receive timely alerts for events such as wildfires, floods, or ice melt. It also cuts down the amount of raw data transmitted to ground stations, as only curated, interpreted information is downlinked.
Schedule and next steps
The initial flight is slated for the second quarter of 2027. Following a successful demonstration, AI‑enabled satellites are expected to become part of routine Earth‑monitoring missions, improving the efficiency of environmental observation programs.