Hyderabad-based startup TakeMe2Space is about to achieve something great. It is set to launch India’s first artificial intelligence (AI) lab in space. The launching is scheduled for mid-December this year and the mission is to see the Orbital Infrastructure – Technology Demonstrator (MOI-TD) take off aboard ISRO’s PSLV C60 rocket.
The satellites currently generate enormous amounts of data every day, but up to 40% of it ends up being unusable due to issues like cloud cover. This means that much of the data has to be sent back to Earth for processing. This is of course costly and time-consuming. TakeMe2Space’s MOI-TD will process data directly in space.
TakeMe2Space founder and CEO Ronak Kumar Samantray said that the innovation could make space research more affordable and accessible. Users will be able to upload AI models for tasks like environmental monitoring, tracking deforestation, observing maritime activities and detecting greenhouse gas emissions through their web-based platform OrbitLab.
The mission is beginning of something much bigger. MOI-TD is to focus on Earth observation and its technology is setting the stage for a future where space-based computing could support a wide range of services.
The development of MOI-TD has been supported by government agency IN-SPACe that aids private entities in space exploration. The satellite itself is packed with advanced tech including AI accelerators and solar cells that could power future missions.
The AI lab of TakeMe2Space in the space could be the first step toward making space more accessible and more useful. They are proving that space is a distant frontier and also a place for real-world solutions that can improve life here on Earth.
