ESA advances two Thales Alenia Space AI projects for Fsat-2 orbital tests

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 30 April 2024 20:06

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Paris, France (SPX) Apr 30, 2024

The European Space Agency (ESA) has chosen Thales Alenia Space's IRMA and PhiFireAI projects for in-orbit testing aboard the Fsat-2 microsatellite. Scheduled for a June 2024 launch, this 6U CubeSat will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance Earth observation satellites to address social, economic, and environmental issues. Initiated in early 2023, the ESA's challenge involve

ESA advances two Thales Alenia Space AI projects for Fsat-2 orbital tests
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Apr 30, 2024

The European Space Agency (ESA) has chosen Thales Alenia Space's IRMA and PhiFireAI projects for in-orbit testing aboard the Fsat-2 microsatellite. Scheduled for a June 2024 launch, this 6U CubeSat will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance Earth observation satellites to address social, economic, and environmental issues.

Initiated in early 2023, the ESA's challenge involved a year-long competitive process from 75 global teams, culminating in March 2024 with the selection of these projects. IRMA (Image analysis for a Responsive Mission with AI) and PhiFireAI represent significant advancements in orbital AI applications.

The IRMA initiative, spearheaded by the Saint-Exupery Technological Research Institute in France, focuses on utilizing AI to process raw imagery into valuable insights. This project will test AI's ability to analyze large water bodies from space, identifying anomalies like oil spills and harmful algal blooms. This process allows prioritizing data transmission based on anomaly detection, enhancing responsiveness and reducing bandwidth needs by deleting non-anomalous images directly on the satellite.

Conversely, the PhiFireAI project, led by Thales Alenia Space's team in Italy, aims to enhance wildfire monitoring through AI-driven satellite imagery analysis. This system identifies fires, maps burnt areas, and assesses the surrounding environment, including water bodies and safe zones. This approach aims to provide critical, real-time information to enhance fire response efforts.

Both projects showcase Thales Alenia Space's broader commitment to integrating AI into space technology. This includes collaborations on cloud detection technologies for Europe's Copernicus program and partnerships with Microsoft for the IMAGIN-e mission, focusing on advanced computing capabilities aboard the International Space Station.

AI is poised to transform space-based Earth observation, offering real-time, actionable data for diverse global challenges.