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India is slated to enter a fresh phase of commercial space computing as Hyderabad-based startup TakeMe2Space prepares to launch MOI-1A, an orbital computing satellite, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission on October 1. The company regards the spacecraft as India’s first orbital computing satellite, which is developed to process data in space instead of sending enormous volumes of raw information to Earth.
What is orbital computing?
Traditional Earth-observation satellites capture data and transmit it to ground stations, where computers process it. This requires bandwidth, especially when satellites generate large datasets.
MOI-1A is manufactured to perform edge computing in orbit. It will carry Nvidia Orin NX processors and run artificial-intelligence models on the satellite. Instead of transmitting complete datasets, the spacecraft can analyse information in orbit and send results to users on Earth.
How will MOI-1A work?
The sub-50-kg satellite has around 150 watts of available power, according to founder and CEO Ronak Samantray. Customers will be able to upload containerised AI models to the spacecraft. As the satellite passes over a target area, these models can process Earth-observation data and transmit analysis rather than the entire dataset.
This could lower the volume of information downloaded and possibly lower costs for customers that otherwise transfer and process enormous satellite imagery.
Who will use the satellite?
TakeMe2Space said it has secured 23 customers for the mission, including geographic information-system companies and educational institutions. Potential applications include agriculture, mining, supply-chain management and insurance. US-based space-data analytics company Little Place Labs is among the customers.
The company also is aiming at orbital cold storage for critical information, with potential applications in financial services and defence.
TakeMe2Space: From demonstration to commercial mission
TakeMe2Space previously showcased its technology in orbit. The company says its 2024 mission validated uploading applications and performing AI inference in space before downloading results. A later MOI-1 satellite was lost after a launch-vehicle third-stage failure.
The startup is eyeing bigger satellites from 2027 and aims to build a networked constellation. Its longer-term plan is to operate six satellites capable of processing Earth-observation data in orbit.
Why does it matter for India’s private space sector?
The mission comes as India’s private space sector expands following reforms opening more opportunities for non-government companies. The Department of Space said in August that around 440 space-tech startups were registered on the DPIIT Start-up India portal.
MOI-1A embodies a shift from satellites mainly gathering and transmitting data toward spacecraft that can decode information before sending it down. If successful, the approach could facilitate faster satellite-derived intelligence while lowering the burden on ground infrastructure.