This project focuses on testing computing hardware in orbit.
Cowboy Space is developing Reason-2 as a satellite carrying a computing and data-processing payload for an in-orbit NOAA demonstration. The planned 2027 mission will run NOAA CSPP LEO and MiRS software on NVIDIA GPUs using historical VIIRS data, with processed results returned through Cowboy’s optical communications system.
Cowboy Space Corporation · In development
Scope: Mission-specific processing · Processing primarily serves the mission’s own sensing, navigation or data workload.
Figures retain their disclosed units and scope. Launched hardware does not establish demonstrated performance; targets may change. Not disclosed means no figure in the reviewed sources.
PROJECT RELATIONSHIPS
Suppliers & project partners
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Research participant
Program organization: Cowboy Space Corporation
Partnership
Flight / payload software · Data services · Research & feasibility studies
NOAA NESDIS will provide an open-source AI model and historical VIIRS data for Cowboy Space to run CSPP LEO and MiRS on NVIDIA GPUs aboard Reason-2.
Research collaboration; no contract value, procurement quantity, operational service commitment or achieved in-orbit result is disclosed.
Announced 20 Oct 2026 · Evidence checked 21 Oct 2026
Launch Reason-2 in 2027 and execute the NOAA in-orbit data-processing demonstration.
Manual review 29 Oct 2026. Direct review of Cowboy Space and NOAA releases confirmed the planned 2027 Reason-2 NOAA demonstration, NVIDIA GPU processing, CSPP LEO and MiRS workloads, and a planned 25 Gbps optical downlink. Exact GPU model, quantity, IT power, orbit and launch booking remain undisclosed optional facts. Primary body last observed 20 Oct, 18:44 UTC. Source monitoring: ongoing. Source collection and substantive profile review are separate checks. Plans and dates may change.
Cowboy Space announced a CRADA with NOAA NESDIS to test satellite-data processing aboard Reason-2, a computing and data-processing spacecraft planned for launch in 2027. NOAA will supply an open-source AI model and historical VIIRS data, while Cowboy plans to run CSPP LEO and MiRS on NVIDIA GPUs in orbit and return processed results through its optical link.
