By Elizebeth Varghese, Partner / Principal, Space Economy Acceleration Leader, Deloitte
Thriving in Space requires us to bridge the current connection gap between our data and technology. Edge computing can support the space economy by enabling real-time processing of data from satellites and other spacecraft[1]. This can help change the world for the better, aiding in our survival on Earth and our journeys in Space.
Edge Computing is Moving to the Center
Edge computing involves processing data closer to where it is generated rather than transmitting it to a remote cloud for analysis. This can reduce network resources, cut transmission costs, improve reliability, reduce latency, and enhance control over data and applications.
Moving computing storage to the edge of the network, closest to users, storage, and data devices, has several benefits. Edge computing delivers flexible, near real-time response times for data-heavy, AI-driven, time-sensitive, and mission-critical applications.
This makes it easier to secure data through encryption, increasing consumer trust in data storage, access, and management and making it harder for hackers and malware software to compromise data. The combination of low latency, advanced connectivity, and enhanced data control makes many IoT use cases more feasible. Edge computing can also help organizations meet stringent data sovereignty, privacy, and security requirements by keeping sensitive data on premise.
Space is the Ultimate Edge Use Case
Instant communication. Instant data. That’s what is possible. Edge computing can improve a wide range of applications that have become central to our work and life.
For example, it can process satellite imagery onboard the satellite rather than transmitting it back to Earth for processing. This can significantly reduce latency and enable real-time applications such as disaster monitoring and tracking ship movements[2]. Similarly, it can be used to process satellite navigation signals onboard the satellite rather than transmit them back to Earth for processing, improving the accuracy and reliability of satellite navigation systems[3]. It can be used to run autonomous control algorithms onboard spacecraft, enabling decisions and actions without human intervention[4]. Instead of being forced to make a split-second life or death situation, edge computing allows for spacecraft autonomy[5].
We will be able to direct communication between satellites without the need to transmit data back to Earth. This can improve the efficiency and reliability of space-to-space communication[6]. In addition to these specific applications, edge computing can also help to enable new and innovative space-based services. It could be used to power a decentralized space data marketplace, where users could buy and sell data directly from satellites without needing a third-party intermediary[7]. Overall, edge computing has the potential to revolutionize the space economy by enabling real-time processing of data from satellites and other spacecraft. This can lead to improved efficiency, reliability, and autonomy in a wide range of space-based applications.
Data Centers in Space?
Well, it’s a matter of solving the challenges of data management in space.
Currently, you must have local physical computing because everything must be self-contained. This makes for a much more intense data management scenario because you can’t add more disks since you have limited storage capacity.
Data sent down to Earth is stored in data centers that provide ostensibly limitless computing capabilities. Although there is some latency in transmitting and receiving data, the ease and velocity of processing the data in the data center make it the preferred solution for the bulk of computing tasks. However, there is a concern regarding security and privacy in relation to cyberattacks when sending data down to ground stations.
[8]Spacecraft operators use a variety of data management techniques to address these challenges, including data compression, data filtering to remove unnecessary or redundant information, data prioritization based on importance and timeliness, data caching: Frequently accessed data is cached on the spacecraft so that it can be accessed quickly without having to be sent from the ground and data encryption: Data is encrypted to protect it from unauthorized access.
Spacecraft operators also use various tools and technologies to manage data on the ground. These tools and technologies automate the data collection, processing, and storage, ensuring data security and accessibility for authorized users[9]. They facilitate the compression of satellite imagery, real-time scientific data collection, and transmission to the ground for further processing. Additionally, they aid in gathering telemetry data from spacecraft sensors and actuators, monitoring the health and performance of the spacecraft.
How Close to the Edge?
Due to the unique challenges that computing in space offers, we’ve seen advancements in edge technology pretty early. In 2017, aboard the ISS, mission specialists are completing experiments, for example, studying microbes in water to assess whether it is safe to drink. NASA scientists were facing a weeks-long lag time for transmitting that data between the ISS and the computing centers here on Earth for analysis. This challenge pushed NASA to accelerate research in containerized ML applications. NASA developed a compact edge device employing one-node OpenShift clusters that act as CodeReady Containers. This development has expedited the time to insight from months to minutes for on-board experiments, an astonishing progression[10].
The specific challenge offered by space spurred NASA to develop and combine edge computing resources in a revolutionary way. By pushing the capabilities of this technology forward, they may have increased the viability for additional use cases here on Earth. Each new success that NASA has with the edge in space will help demonstrate the feasibility of this technology and grow the potential for the future of edge computing everywhere.
Some other specific examples of how edge technologies are being tested for space include NASA using ground-based simulators to test edge computing technologies for the Artemis mission. These technologies will process data from lunar rovers and other spacecraft in real-time[11].
SpaceX uses suborbital rockets to test edge computing technologies for its Starlink satellite constellation. These technologies will process satellite imagery and other data onboard the satellites, reducing latency and improving performance[12].
Boeing is using spacecraft in orbit to test edge computing technologies for its Starliner spacecraft. These technologies will process data from sensors and actuators on the spacecraft in real-time, enabling autonomous decision-making[13].
Edge computing is currently reserved for lightweight data processing tasks with time sensitivity. That being said, the diversity of use cases for edge computing is growing. One of the most popular use cases is autonomous vehicles, which employ several sensors collecting data that needs to be processed with zero latency: “A self-driving vehicle has to automatically determine the direction, speed, and acceleration. However, these factors are affected by the surroundings of the vehicles, passengers, and traffic lights.” The use of edge computing is also growing in other industries. Offshore oil rigs must constantly monitor parameters such as pressure, temperature, and gas emissions. Based on these parameters, critical action may need to be taken, so it is again crucial that analysis occurs without the latency of communication with a data center.
But Wait, There’s a Way to Go
Though data processing tasks are moving toward the edge, we are still far from the technology that will make data centers obsolete. The vast majority of data processing still occurs in data centers, and data centers are continuing to grow to keep up with the demands of a data-driven world: “Currently, edge analytics is unable to provide full support to the analytic techniques. The edge devices cannot execute advanced and sophisticated analytic algorithms following various constraints such as limited power supply, small memory size, limited resources, etc.”[14]
Barring a radical advancement in technology, edge computing is not replacing the need for data centers but rather adding capabilities for novel solutions where real-time needs to mean real-time. As the technology proves its viability, the breadth of applications will continue to increase. Undoubtedly, many uses for edge computing have yet to be explored.
In moving computing storage to the edge of the network, it is closest to users, storage, and data devices. Computing at the edge makes it easier to secure data through encryption, thereby making it harder for hackers and other malware software. This will increase consumer trust in data, particularly how their personal (e.g., Identifiers and demographic) and private data (e.g., financial, medical, and social) are stored, accessed, and managed. Enhanced security features, governance, and guidelines on data privacy, such as Europe’s GDPR, secure the data rights of end-users.
According to Statista, global data creation is expected to reach more than 180 zettabytes by 2025. A recent Raconteur report revealed that 463 exabytes of data will be generated daily over the next two years[15]. Space-based data centers are on the cusp of becoming a reality. For example, the European Commission has contracted Thales Alenia Space to lead the ASCEND feasibility study for data centers in orbit. The study aims to see if data centers in space would lead to fewer emissions than those on Earth. Space data doesn’t just meet increasing consumer data demand; potential sustainability and green planet benefits exist.
We’re headed in the right direction
In the summer of 2022, Seagate and Ball Aerospace announced a collaboration to test high-capacity commercial data processing and storage devices for spaceflight applications. Further testing is planned for 2023. Lonestar Data Holdings is also looking to launch the first data center from the Earth’s biggest satellite—the moon. The data center will serve as a platform for critical data infrastructure.
Finally, space-resilient computing systems are becoming highly efficient, with SSDs serving as the critical building blocks. This innovative technology could enable more reliable, high-density storage systems with speedy access. Given the research and investment in this area by space start-ups and traditional space agencies, the future of data at the edge is limitless.
Varshese is Principal and Co-leader of Deloitte’s Cloud Enabled Workforce team and leader of Human Capital Services for Deloitte’s Space Sector and Co-Chair of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Committee at Columbia Business School (Women’s Circle).
[1] Edge computing in the space industry: A roadmap for the future” by Deloitte (2023).
[2] Real-time satellite imagery processing with edge computing” by Exo-Space (2023)
[3] Edge computing for satellite navigation: A new paradigm for positioning and timing” by Kayhan Space (2023)
[4] Edge computing for spacecraft autonomy: A new approach to mission control” by SpaceChain (2023)
[5] IBID
[6] Edge computing for space-to-space communication: A new paradigm for efficiency and reliability” by Orblink (2023)
[7] A decentralized space data marketplace enabled by edge computing” by Opacity (2023)
[8] The role of edge computing in the space economy” by ABI Research (2023). https://www.abiresearch.com/research-resources/research-highlight/edge-ai-market/
[9] Edge computing for space-based applications” by NASA (2023). https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2021/07/nasa-turns-edge-computing-protect-astronauts-contamination-iss/183951/
[10] RedHat, “Edge computing in action
[11] Edge computing in the space industry: A roadmap for the future” by Deloitte (2023). https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consulting/topics/emerging-technology-in-the-space-economy.html
[12] The role of edge computing in the space economy” by ABI Research (2023). https://www.abiresearch.com/research-resources/research-highlight/edge-ai-market/
[13] Edge computing for space-based applications” by NASA (2023). https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2021/07/nasa-turns-edge-computing-protect-astronauts-contamination-iss/183951/
[14] Nayak et al., “A review on edge analytics
[15] Why Data Storage is Mission Critical for Space. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/01/23/why-data-storage-is-mission-critical-for-the-future-of-space/?sh=78b2de902562