LEOcloud to Launch Space Edge Datacenter To ISS by 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the organization managing the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory, has extended an opportunity to LEOcloud to showcase its Space Edge Infrastructure as a Service. LEOcloud plans to install its first-generation Space Edge virtualized micro datacenter on the ISS by the end of 2025.

"Our target is to get to the ISS by the end of 2025," - Dennis Gatens, CEO and Founder of LEOcloud

The initiative, under a cooperative agreement announced on May 29, marks a significant step in the advancement of cloud computing in space.

This innovative project allows customers to reserve cloud resources and migrate applications from terrestrial clouds to a space-based cloud through LEOcloud’s Service Management System. This groundbreaking capability will be demonstrated and commercialized in collaboration with partners including Sierra Space, Microsoft, and Red Hat.

LEOcloud’s Space Edge services will be available to a broad range of potential customers including organizations engaged in research and development on commercial space stations, orbiting research platforms, and short-duration free flyers. The advantage for researchers who can run analytics on data collected in space without having to send it back to Earth for analysis.

“For example, researchers performing R&D on space stations can run analytics against data they collect locally versus returning the data to Earth for analysis,” - Dennis Gatens, CEO and Founder of LEOcloud

The AI-driven data fusion in space is expected to accelerate the process of deriving actionable insights.

“The space station represents a novel testbed to validate emerging technologies and capabilities that bring value to humanity and spur commerce in low Earth orbit,” - Michael Roberts, Chief Scientist at the ISS National Lab

CASIS is looking forward to working with LEOcloud to advance cloud computing efforts that could offer data solutions for both the ISS and future low Earth orbit destinations.

Collaboration with Sierra Space

In addition to the ISS project, LEOcloud has announced a strategic agreement with Sierra Space. This collaboration will focus on developing a roadmap for cloud services on Sierra Space’s inflatable Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE), the Dream Chaser spaceplane, and other Sierra Space Station facilities.

“Sierra Space is building and operating disruptive platforms and services in space that will drive the next great industrial revolution – the Orbital Age,” - Ken Shields, Senior Director of Business Development at Sierra Space

LEOcloud’s infrastructure is designed to support cloud services from leading providers such as Microsoft, AWS, Google, and private clouds. This capability is essential for meeting the needs of customers who rely on cloud services both on Earth and in space.

"Our customers require the ability to support their end user customers with the cloud service that they use on Earth," - Dennis Gatens, CEO and Founder of LEOcloud

Founded in 2021, LEOcloud aims to address the growing cloud computing needs of satellites, space-based research platforms, and space stations in low-Earth orbit, the lunar region, and deep space.