OrbitsEdge is a startup aimed at providing above-the-cloud infrastructure in low Earth orbit. The Florida-based startup is positioning itself as the premier space-based, datacenter-grade computing and analytics provider in orbit.

With space exploration moving forward, especially in the commercial realm, there is an increasing need for infrastructure to support those endeavors. Having data center and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities in low Earth orbit would allow current and future space projects to process a large amount of data in orbit, rather than sending it planet-side, processing it and shipping it back. This would save a tremendous amount of money and improve response times by reducing latency. In addition, data centers in orbit would have other advantages, such as cooling and solar power.

OrbitsEdge has taken the next step, signing “an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to host HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems with its hardening solution, SatFrame, to enable commercial space companies to deploy computing in orbit and accelerate exploration.”

OrbitsEdge SatFrame “is a proprietary ruggedized satellite bus designed to protect sensitive hardware.” The SatFrame allows regular computer hardware to be used in space—and protected from the rigors of it—without expensive customization.

“Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the ideal partner for OrbitsEdge since its technologies have proven to withstand extreme environments on Earth and in space, with its deployment of the Spaceborne Computer in the International Space Station (ISS). This partnership follows HPE’s innovative strategy of enabling new solutions to be developed and deployed years in advance,” said Barbara Stinnett, chief executive officer of OrbitsEdge, Inc. “OrbitsEdge will leverage HPE’s edge technology to run sophisticated analytics such as artificial intelligence (AI) on the vast amounts of data that will be created as space is commercialized,” she added.

“We are committed to pushing technology limits to power the next era of innovation, whether it’s here on Earth or in space,” said Phillip Cutrone, vice president and general manager, Worldwide OEM at HPE. “The HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems provide datacenter-grade performance, data acquisition, industrial networks, and control in harsh edge environments to enable real-time insight and action. By combining our technologies with the OrbitsEdge SatFrame hardening design, the commercial space industry gains advanced systems to create new space-based applications and solutions.”