NASA and IBM have successfully deployed the Prithvi geospatial foundation model onto two satellites in orbit. This marks the first time an AI model specifically designed for geospatial data analysis has been operated directly from space.

The model leverages edge AI (processing data locally on hardware rather than on centralized cloud servers) to analyze information in real-time while in orbit. By functioning as an open-source foundation model (AI trained on vast, broad datasets and adaptable to many downstream tasks), the system processes geospatial data (information tied to specific Earth locations) directly on the spacecraft.

NASA and IBM have successfully deployed the Prithvi geospatial foundation model onto two satellites in orbit. This marks the first time an AI model specifically designed for geospatial data analysis has been operated directly from space.

The model leverages edge AI (processing data locally on hardware rather than on centralized cloud servers) to analyze information in real-time while in orbit. By functioning as an open-source foundation model (AI trained on vast, broad datasets and adaptable to many downstream tasks), the system processes geospatial data (information tied to specific Earth locations) directly on the spacecraft.