Space Computers: Satlyt Powers Orbital Data Centers

Kenyan American engineer Rama Afullo has co-founded Satlyt, a company developing software for satellites that allows multiple spacecraft to handle large computing tasks collectively. The Sunnyvale, California, and Nairobi-based startup recently secured an $8 million seed round. Satlyt's software is designed to operate AI models on satellites, similar to how VMware provides infrastructure services. This approach contrasts with companies building their own spacecraft for orbital data centers.

Satlyt's software has already demonstrated significant operational efficiencies. By deploying AI models onboard spacecraft, the company has achieved reductions of over 60% in data transmission size for software errors. This capability can lead to substantial annual savings per satellite. The company's upcoming launch will feature its software on a spacecraft from Indian startup TakeMe2Space, supporting NASA's cloud computing protocols and space surveillance applications.

The company aims to create a shared computing system, a true cloud in orbit, by the end of the decade. Afullo envisions Satlyt's software running on 20% of satellites by then. The $8 million seed round was led by Non Sibi Ventures, with partners Bernard Harris and Kent Lucas noting the potential for success driven by the increasing number of satellites launched, rather than solely by the development of large-scale orbital data centers.