As of: March 5, 2024, 9:07 a.m
By: Felix Herz
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A small satellite with a big task: with AI on board, it is supposed to detect anomalies in space.
His journey could shape the future of space technology.
Würzburg – Equipped with technology for future space missions and no bigger than a shoebox: A small satellite with artificial intelligence (AI) on board was successfully sent into space by the University of Würzburg.
The launch took place in California.
Hakan Kayal, space engineer, said on Tuesday, March 5, in Würzburg that numerous experiments were planned.
The main goal is to detect space phenomena such as anomalies on planets or asteroids in future missions.
Contact with satellite already successfully established – exciting mission in space
The satellite was positioned in its orbit on Tuesday night.
“As planned, we were then able to successfully make contact with the satellite in two passes,” said the scientist.
“In the following days we will continue with the initial test procedures and gradually check all subsystems of the satellite.”
The University of Würzburg is sending a small but powerful satellite into space.
Its task: to detect phenomena in space and report them automatically.
© picture alliance/dpa/University of Würzburg |
Hakan Kayal
The nanosatellite, called Sonata-2, is now intended, among other things, to examine geological formations on Earth or regions such as the Sahara Desert and automatically pass on any abnormalities to the researchers.
“The image data is evaluated on board using AI,” explained Kayal.
In future interplanetary missions, for example, unexpected, short-term luminous phenomena in the solar system could be detected.
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Four cameras and AI on board: “The satellite is about the size of a shoebox”
The satellite, which was launched into space by a rocket along with many other satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base, is equipped with four cameras.
According to Kayal, the AI will be trained on board for the first time; normally such training takes place on Earth using powerful computers.
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“The satellite is about the size of a shoebox,” emphasized the researcher.
Measuring 30 by 20 by 10 centimeters and weighing around twelve kilograms, Sonate-2 is the largest Bavarian satellite ever to reach space.
Scientists hope that it will remain functional for at least a year at an altitude of around 500 kilometers above Earth.
It should then burn up in the atmosphere and not end up as space debris.
The university's research project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics with 2.6 million euros.
(fhz)
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