Hyderabad-based space tech company TakeMe2Space is set to revolutionize space research with the launch of MOI-TD (My Orbital Infrastructure – Technology Demonstrator), India’s first AI laboratory in orbit. Scheduled for mid-December 2024 aboard ISRO’s PSLV C60 launch vehicle, the mission aims to make space research more accessible and cost-efficient by enabling real-time data processing in orbit.

The project has been supported by the IN-SPACe Technical Centre, a government agency facilitating private space ventures. Located in Ahmedabad, IN-SPACe provided critical infrastructure for the testing and validation of the MOI-TD platform. TakeMe2Space plans to continue leveraging these advanced facilities for future missions.

MOI-TD tackles a major issue in satellite operations—processing the massive volumes of data captured daily. Currently, up to 40% of satellite data can be unusable due to factors like cloud cover, and transmitting all data to Earth for processing can take weeks. By performing data processing in orbit, MOI-TD reduces costs, minimizes latency, and delivers actionable insights directly to users.

Through OrbitLab, a web-based console, users can upload AI models for various applications, including environmental monitoring, maritime tracking, deforestation observation, and greenhouse gas detection. The platform’s first users include a leading Malaysian university and Indian school students, showcasing its potential to broaden participation in space research.

Equipped with advanced onboard technology like AI accelerators, reaction wheels, and magnetorquers, MOI-TD also features flexible solar cells capable of powering future satellite missions. This innovation is seen as a stepping stone toward establishing space-based data centres that could one day rival terrestrial cloud computing services.

Following the successful demonstration of its radiation shielding technology earlier this year aboard PSLV C-58, TakeMe2Space has laid the groundwork for extending satellite mission lifespans. The MOI-TD mission is expected to advance Earth observation capabilities while paving the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space computing technologies.

As the world watches, TakeMe2Space is poised to push the boundaries of space research, making it a game-changer in the global space industry.