Astronauts and researchers can process data at the edge and
speed time-to-insight from months to minutes with launch of HPE’s
Spaceborne Computer-2, an edge computing system for the
International Space Station
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) today announced it is
accelerating space exploration and increasing self-sufficiency for
astronauts by enabling real-time data processing with advanced
commercial edge computing in space for the first time. Astronauts
and space explorers aboard the International Space Station (ISS)
will speed time-to-insight from months to minutes on various
experiments in space, from processing medical imaging and DNA
sequencing to unlocking key insights from volumes of remote sensors
and satellites, using HPE’s Spaceborne Computer-2 (SBC-2), an edge
computing system.
Spaceborne Computer-2 is scheduled to launch into orbit on the
15th Northrop Grumman Resupply Mission to Space Station (NG-15) on
February 20 and be available for use on the International Space
Station for the next 2-3 years.
Breaking Barriers to Achieve Reliable Computing in
Space
The upcoming launch of Spaceborne Computer-2 builds on the
proven success of its predecessor, Spaceborne Computer, a
proof-of-concept that HPE developed and launched in partnership
with NASA in 2017 to operate on the International Space Station
(ISS) for a one-year mission. The goal was to test if affordable,
commercial off-the-shelf servers used on earth, but equipped with
purposefully-designed software-based hardening features, can
withstand the shake, rattle and roll of a rocket launch to space,
and once there, seamlessly operate on the ISS.
The proof-of-concept addressed the need for more reliable
computing capabilities on the ISS, or low Earth orbit (LEO), that
were previously impossible to achieve due to the ISS’s harsh
environment of zero gravity and high levels of radiation that can
damage IT equipment required to host computing technologies.
Additionally, gaining more reliable computing on the ISS is just
the first step in NASA’s goals for supporting human space travel to
the Moon, Mars and beyond where reliable communications is a
mission critical need.
HPE successfully accomplished its one-year mission with
Spaceborne Computer and is now set to launch, through a sponsorship
from the ISS U.S. National Laboratory, an even more advanced
system, called Spaceborne Computer-2, which is set to launch this
month and be installed on the ISS for the next 2-3 years for wider
use.
Accelerating Space Exploration with State-of-the-Art Edge
Computing and AI Capabilities
Spaceborne Computer-2 will offer twice as much compute speed
with purpose-built edge computing capabilities powered by the HPE
Edgeline Converged Edge system and HPE ProLiant server to ingest
and process data from a range of devices, including satellites and
cameras, and process in real-time.
Spaceborne Computer-2 will also come equipped with graphic
processing units (GPUs) to efficiently process image-intensive data
requiring higher image resolution such as shots of polar ice caps
on earth or medical x-rays. The GPU capabilities will also support
specific projects using AI and machine learning techniques.
The combined advancements of Spaceborne Computer-2 will enable
astronauts to eliminate longer latency and wait times associated
with sending data to-and-from earth to tackle research and gain
insights immediately for a range of projects, including:
- Real-time monitoring of astronauts’ physiological
conditions by processing X-Ray, sonograms and other medical
data to speed time to diagnosis in-space.
- Making sense of volumes of remote sensor data: There are
hundreds of sensors that NASA and other organizations have
strategically placed on the ISS and on satellites, which collect
massive volumes of data that require a significant amount of
bandwidth to send to earth to process. With in-space edge
computing, researchers can process on-board image, signal and other
data related to a range of events, such as:
- Traffic trends by having a wider look at number of cars on the
road and even in parking lots
- Air quality by measuring level of emissions and other
pollutants in the atmosphere
- Tracking objects moving in space and in the atmosphere from
planes to missile launches
“The most important benefit to delivering reliable in-space
computing with Spaceborne Computer-2 is making real-time insights a
reality. Space explorers can now transform how they conduct
research based on readily available data and improve
decision-making,” said Dr. Mark Fernandez, solution architect,
Converged Edge Systems at HPE, and principal investigator for
Spaceborne Computer-2. “We are honored to make edge computing in
space possible and through our longstanding partnerships with NASA
and the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, we
are look forward to powering new, exciting research opportunities
to make breakthrough discoveries for humanity.”
Proven in Space, Available on Earth: HPE Addresses the
Harshest, Outer Edge Environments with Enterprise-Grade
Solutions
HPE is delivering the same edge computing technologies targeted
for harsh, remote environments on earth such as oil and gas
refineries, manufacturing plants or on defense missions, to space.
Spaceborne Computer-2 includes the HPE Edgeline Converged EL4000
Edge System, a rugged and compact system designed to perform in
harsher edge environments with higher shock, vibration and
temperature levels and purpose-built to process computing power at
the edge to collect and analyze volumes of data from remotely
scattered devices and sensors in space.
As a result of HPE’s proven success in delivering its computing
technologies to space, organizations such as OrtbitsEdge, which
provides protective hardening features for space computing
initiatives, plans to integrate the HPE Edgeline Converged Edge
Systems with its hardening solution, SatFrame, to enable commercial
space companies to deploy computing in orbiting satellites and
accelerate exploration.
Coupled with the HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems, Spaceborne
Computer-2 will also feature the HPE ProLiant DL360 server, an
industry-standard server, for additional high-performing
capabilities to target a range of workloads, including edge, HPC,
AI, etc.
“Edge computing provides core capabilities for unique sites that
have limited or no connectivity, giving them the power to process
and analyze data locally and make critical decisions quickly. With
HPE Edgeline, we deliver solutions that are purposely engineered
for harsh environments. Here on Earth, that means efficiently
processing data insights from a range of devices - from security
surveillance cameras in airports and stadiums, to robotics and
automation features in manufacturing plants,” said Shelly Anello,
General Manager, Converged Edge Systems at HPE. “As we embark on
our next mission in edge computing, we stand ready to power the
harshest, most unique edge experience of them all: outer space. We
are thrilled to be invited by NASA and the International Space
Station to support this ongoing mission, pushing our boundaries in
space and unlocking a new era of insight.”
Tackling Bigger Research with Edge-to-Cloud
Capabilities
Through a collaboration with Microsoft Azure Space, researchers
around the world running experiments on Spaceborne Computer-2 have
the opportunity to burst to the Azure cloud for computationally
intense processing needs that require that can also seamlessly
transmit results back to SBC-2. Examples being considered by
Microsoft Research include:
- Modeling and forecasting dust storms on earth to improve
future predictions on Mars that can cover the entire red planet
and decrease output of solar power generation that is critical to
enabling mission essential energy needs
- Assessing liquid usage and environmental parameters involved
in growing plants in space to support food and life sciences by
collecting data from hydroponics processes and comparing them with
large data sets on Earth
- Analyzing lightning strike patterns that trigger
wildfires by processing a vast amount of data collected from 4K
video-streaming cameras that capture lightning strikes happening
across earth
- Advanced analysis of medical imaging using ultrasound on
the ISS to support astronaut healthcare
Call for Submission: Spaceborne Computer-2 Open for
Research
Submissions for research considerations on Spaceborne Computer-2
are open now. To learn more on how to submit a proposal to leverage
the system to run experiments, please visit
www.hpe.com/info/spaceborne.
About Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the global edge-to-cloud
platform-as-a-service company that helps organizations accelerate
outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere.
Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to
advance the way we live and work, HPE delivers unique, open and
intelligent technology solutions, with a consistent experience
across all clouds and edges, to help customers develop new business
models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance.
For more information, visit: www.hpe.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210211005201/en/
Nahren Khizeran, HPE Nahren.Khizeran@hpe.com
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