Satlyt Completes In-Orbit Test of Distributed Computing Software, Steps Toward Space Data Centers
Satlyt successfully tested software capable of assigning tasks across nodes based on communication and compute availability, a key step toward shared satellite computing networks.
US startup Satlyt conducted a successful test earlier this month demonstrating how its software manages distributed computing tasks in orbit. According to TechCrunch, the project, funded by NASA and conducted with the University of Houston, showed that Satlyt's software can spread out tasks among computers while in orbit based on communication and available compute.
Founder and CEO Rama Afullo, formerly of Google and SpaceX, stated the goal is to create software that connects to multiple satellites to share computing assignments. Users "will only need to define permissions, priorities, and operating limits," while the software makes decisions within those bounds. The company's software is already on three satellites in orbit.
In the test, Satlyt created a simulated network with four computers, four users, and eight services. Only one physical computer on a spacecraft in orbit ran the software—the other three were simulations—but the test proved the software could generate execution plans on hardware in orbit. Afullo noted a trade-off: the best approach required more computing power than others.
Despite the progress, Satlyt still needs to test its own software under various workloads, hardware, and connectivity conditions. The team also identified an issue with time-referencing delays, stamping arrival time rather than elapsed delay. Next steps include broader validation and demonstrations of computing work shared across separate spacecraft.