an officer in camouflage fatigues addresses an audience from a podium, standing before an orange wall and a display monitor
U.S. Space Force Col. Gina Peterson addresses the audience at the SDA TAP Lab’s Demo Day on Jan. 30, 2025

Space domain awareness (SDA)  – and all the data that must flow to support it – no longer hovers in a theoretical future.  

Today, spacecraft operators must know swiftly and reliably what space trash, errant satellite, or hostile might threaten their operations – and the discipline is crying out for investment.

For the well-equipped U.S. military, better SDA tools are under development as a complex and powerful orbital-defense system at the United States Space Force’s SDA TAP Lab. That’s where we have been collaborating these past six months with dozens of other companies. 

In the Lab’s Cohort 5, Planetary Systems AI finished building AI tools that help U.S. Space Force Guardians identify the launch history, onboard sensors, and jamming frequencies of space vehicles that are hidden, unknown, or potential threats. 

As we accelerate into Cohort 6 next week, one thing has become very clear: This vital project – and indeed SDA overall – needs a huge boost in operating budget to keep pace with the space boom.

With more companies and international partners joining the SDA TAP (Tools, Applications & Processing) Lab, more payloads and satellites reaching orbit, and the increasing risk of collision with debris and each other impacting critical communications and cybersecurity infrastructure on the ground, it will be difficult to keep up with the pace of innovation such as the SDA TAP Lab’s rapidly-expanding work without more Congressional and the Pentagon’s monetary support or capital investment from the satellite and telecommunications industry to protect their in-orbit assets. 

 

a group of technologists and researchers assemble for a group photo
Cohort 5 of the SDA TAP Lab’s Apollo Accelerator project

The SDA TAP Lab needs a significantly bigger budget to support its complex logistics, the cohort’s rising headcount, and a newly-available, multi-terabyte source of SDA data that must be imported, sorted, and made available to us and international partners to continue the work. 

The need will be even greater for the commercial sector, where spacecraft operators work with SDA discipline in mind but without universally-available tools at hand.

While the Lab is building tools to sharpen the U.S. Space Force’s awareness and improve the timeliness and accuracy of the Guardians’ response, those military tools won’t be available to civilians. 

 

 

an executive stands before an array of display monitors talking with a uniformed U.S. Space Force general
PSAI CEO Cindy Chin and Aquarious Workman present to Lt. General Douglas A. Schiess during the Demo Day on Jan. 30, 2025 at the SDA TAP Lab

 

For commercial launch and orbital companies, U.S. Guardians are tasked with issuing notifications to space operators. These email advisories advise U.S. allies and corporations who subscribes to them whenever a rocket launch is detected or an orbiting spacecraft makes a maneuver. 

But the notifications don’t deliver operational context; While Guardians have access to multiple SDA data sources, sensors, satellites and other tools to support their defense-oriented mission (and will soon have the TAP Lab’s defense system as well), no such service exists to warn and protect the commercial sector against orbital mishaps. 

It is up to launch and orbital companies to blend orbital data sources with whatever in-house SDA experience they might have to keep their spacecraft and space assets safe. Therefore, more capital investment in this critical infrastructure is needed in and adjacent to orbit before calamity happens.

 

 

A slide depicting the benefits of delivering satellite capability data to USSF warfighters
A slide from PSAI’s presentation to the SDA TAP Lab explaining the benefit our work has brought to the U.S. Space Force’s battle management system

Just as Planetary Systems AI is bringing deep experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data fusion to SDA for the U.S. Space Force, we plan to deliver SDA solutions for our partners in the commercial sector and their space strategies

Watch this space.

Contact: Mack Reed, Head of Product, mack@planetarysystems.ai

Planetary Systems AI Awarded by U.S. Space Systems Command’s Space Domain Awareness (SDA) TAP Lab An Annual License Subscription

From the period of 6 August through 29 October 2024, Planetary Systems AI successfully demonstrated the ability to use generative AI to read large quantities of semi/unstructured text and imagery to populate the Lab’s Target Model Database (TMDB). 

New York, NY, November 19, 2024Planetary Systems AI (PSAI), a planetary support company providing cyber-first artificial intelligence and machine-learning solutions for space and satellite operations, announced today that it has been awarded an annual subscription license by U.S. Space Systems Command’s Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Tools Applications and Processing (TAP) Lab after the completion of the Apollo Accelerator Cohort 4. This program enabled PSAI to demonstrate its capabilities with the use of generative AI to read large quantities of semi/unstructured text and imagery to populate the Lab’s Target Model Database (TMDB). The TMDB, once populated with details about a satellite’s payloads, power, and propulsion systems can be used to evaluate potentially threatening close approaches.

“With the amount of orbital traffic and payloads being deployed into space, it is imperative that a continuous monitoring and coverage of space assets traffic and anomaly management occurs 24/7/365.” said CEO & Chief Space Officer Cindy Chin. “PSAI is leveraging our multi-modal AI expertise and capabilities to work with the U.S. government, its allies, and our commercial partners to ensure that their decision support is accelerated and enhanced through our AI solutions. Our team was excited to showcase these tools and capabilities during the SDA TAP Lab Cohort 4 Demo Day with U.S. Space Systems Command, the U.S. Space Force, DARPA, and other government and industry partners.” 

SDA TAP Lab Chief, Major Sean Allen says, “This is a real innovation applying modern software to age-old problems and a great use-case for generative AI.” 

During the three-month TAP Lab cycle in Cohort 5, PSAI will further test and refine its solutions for SDA by increasing space vehicle imagery to its AI model, responding with a team in a given scenario related to threat warning and assessment. The current database is structured for direct integration with, query by, and display in SDA tools. It can be used with maneuver-event data for inferring potential for threats and determining proximity. Entries were filtered for validity by an AI model trained on Joint Commercial Operations (JCO) Notice to Space Operators records and other trusted analytic sources.

About SDA TAP Lab (https://sdataplab.org/): The Space Domain Awareness TAP Lab accelerates the delivery of space battle management software to operational units. We decompose kill chains, prioritize needs with operators, map needs to technologies, and onboard tech to existing platforms quickly. We partner with industry, academia, and across the government to succeed. 

About Planetary Systems AI (www.planetarysystems.ai): PSAI is a planetary support company accelerating data flow and insight generation for decision-making in the space sector, optimizing planetary support operations.

 

Planetary Systems AI Press Contact:
Mack Reed
Head of Product
E: pr@planetarysystems.ai

Download a PDF of this Press Release

 

Aquarious Workman, CISM, Head of Cybersecurity for Planetary Systems AI, demonstrates the company’s AI service for U.S. Space Force

Colorado Springs, CO. – The Planetary Systems AI team capped three months of intensive multidisciplinary work this week with a demonstration of the company’s capabilities in AI-driven data management for space domain awareness (SDA) at the U.S. Space Force’s SDA TAP Lab

By aggregating more than 2.3 million open-source records on satellites owned by U.S. and foreign entities, the team was able to build out a body of knowledge that will help the Space Force spot and defend military, government, and commercial spacecraft against hostile actions by other countries in space.

Aquarious Workman, PSAI’s Head of Cybersecurity, presented the demo to an audience of investors and U.S. Department of Defense officials, surrounded by nearly 60 companies, many of whom the company had collaborated with closely during Demo Day for Cohort 4 of the Lab’s Apollo Accelerator program.

The company will be continuing its work at the SDA TAP Lab into Cohort 5, which kicks off Nov. 5 and runs until late January. 



At the recent NYSE Wired East Coast AI Leaders’ Reception & Media Event at South Street Seaport and at the NYSE Space Summit, Planetary Systems AI had the honor to share the massive opportunities with space data in the space sector our innovative AI solutions and vision for the future, led by CEO Cindy Chin, FRSA.

The NYSE Space Summit brought together leading voices in the space industry to explore opportunities for growth and innovation. Executives from key space companies and institutional investors discussed how public markets are supporting the space sector, highlighting the intersection of innovation, regulation, and investment. The event emphasized the increasing role of space in shaping industries beyond aerospace, including finance, technology, and sustainability. Discussions ranged from advancements in space technology including artificial intelligence to the growing importance of satellite connectivity and space exploration in economic development.

Chin articulated the challenges with spacedata opportunities in AI with the company’s strategic goals and collaborative initiatives during an interview above the New York Stock Exchange floor with John Furrier of SiliconANGLE & theCUBE to make clear that PSAI is poised to make a significant impact in the space tech landscape.

NYSE Wired is an open-source community built to support entrepreneurs and their companies building cutting-edge AI technologies.

Seraphim Space & Generation Space (USA) Accelerator Announces Mission 14 Cohort. The Accelerator reaches milestone figure with companies raising over $500m in funding as investor appetite grows.

Seraphim Accelerator Mission 14 at KPMG London Offices

London and San Francisco, October 7, 2024: Seraphim Space, known as Generation Space in the U.S., which runs the leading, dedicated accelerator for startups in the global SpaceTech industry, announces the companies participating in Mission 14.

Since 2018 the accelerator has been working with early-stage SpaceTech companies on a global scale. To date, supporting 109 companies across 30 countries, helping them raise over $540 million in funding for the first time. Seraphim remains dedicated to finding and supporting early-stage companies through every stage of their journey. There have been many success stories from the alumni over the years, recently Xona Space Systems, from Mission 3, who earlier this year raised a $19m Series A from new and current investors including Seraphim.

This year the space sector has continued to demonstrate robust growth and resilience evidenced by consecutive quarters of investment recovery. Q2 2024 saw $2.41bn invested, bringing the total investment over the past twelve months to $8.5bn. The growth in investment this quarter was primarily driven by a large volume of deals across from series A to series C, indicating stronger investor confidence in early-stage SpaceTech ventures.  The Accelerator’s track record and unique position at the epicentre of the ‘New Space’ ecosystem continues to attract early-stage startups from all over the world – with this year’s cohort being scouted from 7 countries. For the first time, companies from Saudi Arabia, Chile, and Turkey are joining the cohort, demonstrating SpaceTech’s global significance and growth. Mission 14 participants focus on key areas like data analytics, earth observation, and advanced manufacturing. By leveraging insights from space, these startups are driving advancements that will positively impact life on Earth.

Seraphim Space continues to strengthen its collaboration with leading corporate partners and industry bodies, including Dentons, ESA, JSAT, NEC, NSIFF, Telespazio, Thales, UK Space Agency and KPMG., who have been instrumental in supporting this cohort. Acquora earned a place on the programme as a ‘#TeC Fellow’ after winning the Telespazio’s Technology Contest.

  • Acquora (#T-TeC Fellow) – (Chile)Acquora addresses the $1 trillion water management market while prioritizing sustainable access to this essential resource for all. By leveraging innovative technology, it optimizes distribution systems, allowing water utilities to reinvest increased revenues into infrastructure and conservation efforts.
  • Artemis Earth Ltd(UK) Artemis Earth delivers scalable biodiversity monitoring via satellite technology, enabling organizations to meet ESG goals, adhere to regulatory frameworks, and make informed, sustainable decisions.
  • Constellation Technologies & Operations – (France) Constellation Technologies & Operations empowers telecom operators to deliver high-performance, affordable, sustainable internet services to their clients through a disruptive broadband constellation of telecommunications satellites.
  • Flypix AI GmbH(Germany) Flypix AI GmbH is a SaaS AI platform to understand the Earth from satellite and drone imagery.
  • Forg3D(UK) Forg3D is bringing metal manufacturing into the digital age with 3D printed forgings, changing industry on Earth, and beyond.
  • ManufactureAI(US) ManufactureAI develops generative AI tools to reduce the time and cost of scaling hardware production. Its platform integrates real-time data from factory floors, optimizing manufacturing processes, with its flagship product Launchflow leading the way.
  • Planetary Systems Corporation (dba Planetary Systems AI)(US)  PSAI builds AI, machine-learning applications, and digital twin technology to accelerate data flow, interoperability, and insight intelligence for decision-making in the space sector, optimizing planetary support operations.
  • ROVIAL SAS(France) ROVIAL is pioneering AI-enabled robotics for orbital assembly, repair and service of space infrastructure. Their vision is to create hyper-powerful satellites & autonomous Orbital Outposts that produce sustainable space power for diverse applications.
  • SARsatX(Saudi Arabia) SARsatX develops a vertically integrated constellation of SAR and optical satellites, powering a customizable Earth observation platform that delivers near-real-time insights tailored to diverse use cases.
  • Spacelis (Turkey) SPACELIS is developing cutting-edge, ultra-lightweight flexible solar cell technologies to lead sustainable energy solutions for space exploration. With an innovative design and focus on specific power efficiency, SPACELIS is set to transform power systems for satellites, space missions, and terrestrial applications, driving environmental sustainability and deep-tech innovation.
  • Tiami Networks(US)   Tiami Networks designs robust, 5G software-defined ground and space systems with Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) capabilities, delivering secure, real-time data and communications for critical applications and high-security environments.

 

Alexander Holt, Managing Director, Seraphim Space Enterprise: “The Mission 14 cohort comes at an exciting time for global space innovation. Space investment has remained strong despite a challenging funding environment for the broader tech sector. In the last 12 months, over $8.5 billion has been invested into space-related startups, compared with $5.1 billion over the same period a year ago. Over the last six years, our accelerator alumni have secured investments of more than $540 million, and this new cohort will bring world-changing ideas to inception, helping shape the future of the space economy.”

Joe Cassidy, Seraphim Client Lead Partner, and Jonathon Gill, Global & UK Head of Industrial Manufacturing & Defence at KPMG: “The Seraphim Accelerator programme invests in pioneering entrepreneurial SpaceTech businesses to drive pace and focus in a sector that is a key strategic industrial and technological asset for the UK.  We at KPMG are extremely proud of our deepening relationship with Seraphim and look forward to supporting pioneering businesses to scale up and shoot for the stars.  Digital infrastructure in space supports human life on earth, from communication on smartphones, the transition to cashless societies, autonomous mobility, and smart cities. Space-led technology is disrupting every industry on the planet including defence, insurance, agriculture, financial services, pharmaceuticals, education, healthcare, and manufacturing to name a few.  As well as presenting opportunities for advancement for humanity, space is also a highly congested and contested environment with nations competing with one another.“

ENDS 

Media enquiries

For further information, or to arrange to speak to Seraphim Space Accelerator (UK) or Generation Space Accelerator (U.S) for other enquiries please contact:

Seraphim Space
E: ellie@seraphim.vc

Planetary Systems AI Press Contact:
Mack Reed
E: pr@planetarysystems.ai

About Seraphim Space Accelerator and Generation Space Accelerator:
The Seraphim Space Accelerator (UK) and Generation Space Accelerator (USA) are the world’s leading accelerators focused on space technology, providing support, networks, and resources to scale up and become investment-ready. Working with 230 corporates, government agencies and over 500 investors worldwide. Since the conclusion of the previous 13 Missions, 109 alumni have raised $540 in investment.

About Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc
Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc (“SSIT” or the “Company”) is the world’s first listed fund focused on SpaceTech. The Company seeks exposure predominantly to growth stage private financed SpaceTech businesses that have the potential to dominate globally and that are sector leaders with first-mover advantages in areas such as climate, communications, mobility and cyber security. The Company is listed on the Premium Segment of the London Stock Exchange. Further information is available at: https://investors.seraphim.vc.

About Seraphim Space Manager LLP
Seraphim Space Manager LLP (“Seraphim Space” or the “Manager”) is based in the UK and manages Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc. Further information is available at www.seraphim.vc.

About Generation Space
Generation Space LLC is the U.S. subsidiary of Seraphim Space Manager, LLP, and is responsible for its U.S. activities. Further information is available at: www.generation.space.

About Planetary Systems AI (www.planetarysystems.ai): Planetary Systems AI (PSAI) is a planetary support company addressing the challenges of building software applications with space and satellite data building artificial intelligence and machine learning tools and solutions, the foundations for neural networks in the space industry, digital twin technology, data models, digital and reliability engineering to empower planetary interoperability and computationally accessible data for space and satellite operations decision support.

 

 

 

October 1, 2024 – New York, NY 

Planetary Systems AI (PSAI), a planetary support company providing cyber-first artificial intelligence and machine-learning solutions for space and satellite operations, announced today that Eileen M. Vidrine joins the company’s Advisory Board. 

Ms. Vidrine is a national security executive, U.S. Army veteran and the former Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence officer for the Department of the Air Force (Ret) at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA. She possesses more than 35 years of experience leading transformative change initiatives in defense, intelligence, air and space. 

CEO & Chief Space Officer Cindy Chin said, “It is an incredible honor to welcome Eileen to PSAI’s Board Advisors. Her groundbreaking leadership in public and military service combined with her extensive wealth of knowledge in the data and artificial intelligence domains between the commercial space and defense industries makes her a powerhouse in disrupting outdated processes and DoD space value chain improving our ability to provide world-class enhanced and dual-use capabilities at enterprise data management levels that is necessary to bring the global space industry into its next phase of growth with the United States leading the charge with its allied partners.

She is an exceptional leader and visionary which aligns with the PSAI standards of excellence. We are extremely grateful that she has come on board and continues her professional leadership and service beyond her military career.”

A visionary leader within the Federal Senior Executive Service, Ms. Vidrine was handpicked to serve as the Senior Strategic Advisor for Data to the Federal Chief Information Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, Washington, D.C., where she spearheaded data and emerging technology strategies.

In her leadership roles, Ms. Vidrine has consistently driven innovation by establishing new programs that enhance workforce capabilities and promote best practices in data management and AI. Known for her ability to disrupt outdated processes, she has built high-performance teams and cultivated collaborative work cultures that value individual skills, inspire confidence and foster professional growth. She continues to mentor and develop the next generation of data and AI leaders. 

She was recently named to the Blackhat AI Security Council and is an advisory board member to the Mark Cuban AI Foundation. Ms. Vidrine’s contributions to the AI and data community have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the AIM AI 100 Visionary Leader, CDO Magazine Executive of the Year 2023 and the DataIQ 2024 Life,me Achievement Award. Ms. Vidrine received her M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California and attended executive leadership programs at the Harvard Kennedy School. 

About Planetary Systems AI (www.planetarysystems.ai): Planetary Systems AI (PSAI) is a planetary support company addressing the challenges of building software applications with space and satellite data building artificial intelligence and machine learning tools and solutions, the foundations for neural networks in the space industry, digital twin technology, data models, digital and reliability engineering to empower planetary interoperability and computationally accessible data for space and satellite operations decision support.

 

Planetary Systems AI Press Contact:
Mack Reed
Head of Product
E: pr@planetarysystems.ai

Download a PDF of this Press Release

PSAI officially joins NVIDIA Inception, a program dedicated to accelerating startups working on cutting-edge technology. 

New York, NY, September 10, 2024Planetary Systems AI (PSAI), a planetary support company providing cyber-first artificial intelligence and machine-learning solutions for space and satellite operations, announced today that it has has officially joined NVIDIA Inception, a program dedicated to accelerating startups working on cutting-edge technology and providing access to the latest technical resources from NVIDIA.

“Being part of NVIDIA Inception is a strategic move that will boost our development efforts and bring cutting-edge research, resources, and techniques to accelerate the delivery and improve the accuracy of our models,” said Cindy Chin, CEO & Chief Space Officer of PSAI. “Joining NVIDIA Inception opens doors for us to continue pioneering new techniques in making data computationally accessible and interoperable that will allow applications to be built off of our models, delivering better and faster outcomes for our customers in decision support in the space and satellite industries.”

“Joining NVIDIA’s Inception program allows us to harness cutting-edge AI capabilities to enhance our solutions cyber posture, driving more innovative defenses and strengthening the security landscape for our applications, clients and partners,” said Aquarious Workman, PSAI’s Head of Cybersecurity.

 

About NVIDIA Inception

(https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/startups/): NVIDIA Inception is a free program designed to help startups evolve faster through cutting-edge technology, opportunities to connect with venture capitalists, and access to the latest technical resources from NVIDIA.

About Planetary Systems AI (www.planetarysystems.ai): Planetary Systems AI (PSAI) is a planetary support company developing decision support systems for operational efficiency, situational awareness, and logistical planning to serve companies, government agencies, and small businesses that will increasingly rely on clarity and speed in multiple- context data sources that they must consult to make decisions around space and satellite operations. 

Planetary Systems AI Press Contact:

Mack Reed
Head of Product
E: pr@planetarysystems.ai

Download a PDF of this press release

 

Second in a series of notes from our residency at SDA TAP Lab:

We are working to solve a core problem in business:  Everyone is drowning in data and starved for insight. 

No-one feels this pain more deeply than people in the booming domain of space operations.

Rockets blast off from U.S. spaceports that still operate on antiquated, stovepiped 20th-century hardware and software not designed for the digital age – 232 launches are scheduled this year (given no mission delays).

Satellites orbit the earth with data packets crossing space in myriad formats, languages, and even purposes among their users, operators and stakeholders.

So rather than flowing, data drips sluggishly through channels gated by piecemeal infrastructure and security and intellectual-property protocols – or choked by the need to translate it from one use case to the next on a case-by-case basis.

Here in Colorado Springs, we are collaborating with other companies to answer a uniquely complicated data-flow question: Is that space debris or a satellite threat? 

The challenge here is that intelligence data flows in many forms from many sources towards the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command, which is responsible for safety and national security. There, human operators must filter the real threats out of more than 44,000 other satellites and rocket bodies, and hundreds of thousands of particles of debris orbiting Earth.

So our SDA TAP Lab teams are collaborating on methods of sorting through all that data to help SSC operators decide whether to flag an object: Threat? Non-Threat? Or simply Unknown?

At PSAI, we are seeking to understand how the operators make those decisions today so they can use data from new “events” more effectively.

We believe that by making these data sources interoperable – and understanding the meaning that those decisions give to the data, we can help them take action in the future with with greater clarity, confidence, and speed.

Watch this space.

#spacedata, #sdataplab, #decisionsupport, #ai, #artificialintelligence, #ussf, #satellites, #satellitedefense

Planetary Systems AI Announces That Dr. Steve Crews, Ph.D. (U.S. Army & U.S. Space Force, Ret.) Joins Advisory Board

August 12, 2024 – New York, NY 

Planetary Systems AI (PSAI), a planetary support company providing cyber-first artificial intelligence and machine-learning solutions for space and satellite operations, announced today that Dr. Steve Crews, Ph.D. joins the company’s Advisory Board. He is an executive leader of technical teams for 21 years in the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Army solving problems that result in organizational growth and innovation. Dr. Crews is a published engineer, researcher and educator with extensive robotics, astrodynamics, spacecraft and AI experience with a proven track record of delivering complex aerospace projects with significant value at scale. He has 5 engineering degrees from West Point, Naval Postgraduate School, and Carnegie Mellon University.

CEO & Chief Space Officer Cindy Chin said, “Steve’s extensive experience and knowledge across coordinated space operations, space domain awareness, automation, capabilities and systems integration combined with experience working with small companies is extremely valuable and a tremendous asset. His service to the United States continues in his capacity in leading teams with not just the SDA TAP Lab, but the entire DoD commercial space value chain. We are extremely grateful that he has come on board and continues to expand his leadership and service beyond his military career. That’s how exceptional he is as a person and an officer.” 

About Planetary Systems AI (www.planetarysystems.ai): Planetary Systems AI (PSAI) is a planetary support company developing decision support systems for operational efficiency, situational awareness, and logistical planning to serve companies, government agencies, and small businesses that will increasingly rely on clarity and speed in multiple- context data sources that they must consult to make decisions around space and satellite operations. 

Planetary Systems AI Press Contact:

Mack Reed, Head of Product

E: pr@planetarysystems.ai