Ashesh Badani, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer | Red Hat, Inc.
Ashesh Badani, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer | Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat, a leader in open source solutions, and Axiom Space, a prominent provider of in-space infrastructure, are set to collaborate on the launch of Axiom Space’s Data Center Unit-1 (AxDCU-1). Scheduled for spring 2025, this project will see the deployment of Red Hat Device Edge to the International Space Station. The initiative aims to test and demonstrate initial Orbital Data Center (ODC) capabilities.
The AxDCU-1 prototype will focus on applications involving cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), data fusion, and space cybersecurity. This is part of Axiom Space's efforts to develop significant space infrastructure.
Red Hat Device Edge incorporates an enterprise-ready distribution from the Red Hat-led MicroShift project, a lightweight Kubernetes distribution derived from Red Hat OpenShift's edge capabilities. It also includes Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform. This setup will allow Axiom Space to host hybrid cloud applications and cloud-native workloads in orbit.
Axiom Space's ODCs aim to deliver benefits by reducing delays traditionally linked with orbital data processing. They use Earth-independent cloud storage and edge processing infrastructure to process data closer to its source, bypassing terrestrial-based data centers. This architecture enhances security and speeds up decision-making in space.
The collaboration seeks to provide real-time processing capabilities for Axiom Space and its partners. Use cases for ODCs include supporting Earth observation satellites with lower latency data storage and processing, AI/ML training on-orbit, multi-factor authentication, cyber intrusion detection and response, supervised autonomy, space weather analytics, and off-planet backup & disaster recovery for critical infrastructure on Earth.
Tony James from Red Hat emphasized the importance of off-planet data processing as a frontier in edge computing: “With Red Hat Device Edge and in collaboration with Axiom Space, Earth-based mission partners will have the capabilities necessary to make real-time decisions in space with greater reliability and consistency.”
Jason Aspiotis from Axiom Space expressed excitement about the collaboration: "Infusing terrestrial-grade cloud solutions into ODCs will enable users to seamlessly transition and enhance their terrestrial workloads to orbit while leveraging the lower latency and increased security inherent with ODCs."
This launch marks another step forward for Axiom Space in bringing industries into space that might not have previously considered it an option.
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