Supercomputers, artificial intelligence and cloud on board a constellation of cyber satellites sure that they challenge the depths of space around the Earth. This is the objective of the “Military space cloud architecture” study project assigned to Leonardo by the Teledife contractual management of Segredifesa as part of the national military research plan. For the first time in Europe, explains the note, similarly to what happens with the terrestrial cloud, the project intends to define a spatial architecture capable of providing government bodies and national armed forces with high-performance computing and storage capacity directly in the space. The Space Cloud, tested through the creation of a digital replica of the architecture, will be able to store further 100 Terabytes of data coming from Earth and space on each satellite of the constellation. Using advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and big data analysis techniques, the satellites will be able to communicate and exchange data autonomously.
Leonardo, the Space Cloud project for defense
This system will allow users to access strategic data, such as communications, Earth observation and navigation data, anywhere and at any time, including in the most remote places. By reducing data processing times, the Space Cloud will provide real-time information, facilitating multi-domain and multi-nation operations. Furthermore, the selective transfer of information to Earth will free transmission networks for other uses and ensure a data backup in orbit in case of natural disasters.
The project, led by Leonardo with the collaboration of the joint ventures Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space, will be divided into two phases of 24 months each. The first phase will define the system architecture, while the second will develop a digital replica of the satellites equipped with high-performance computing (HPC) power, together with a multi-constellation satellite terminal demonstrator to simulate various usage scenarios. The tests will be conducted using Leonardo's davinci-1 supercomputer, one of the most powerful in the aerospace and defense sector.
Leonardo: “The first in Europe to develop a Space Cloud project”
“In a multi-domain scenario, management, security and rapid exchange of an ever-increasing quantity of data, many of which are tactical, become strategic elements for the defense of the country – he commented Simone Ungaro, chief innovation officer of Leonardo –. We will be the first in Europe to develop a Space Cloud project, demonstrating feasibility and benefits deriving from the use of an architecture of this type and enabling a new paradigm of cloud & edge computing. Leonardo's know-how will allow the development of a Space Cloud network to contribute to digitalisation and technological innovation processes, responding to the challenges of the future to guarantee the needs of government bodies and national Armed Forces".
