Launch evidence, demonstrated capabilities and operating systems, compared with links to the original sources.
In SignalSpore’s catalog, 37 project records are classified as launched, demonstrated or operating: 29 reviewed, 8 with review limits or awaiting review. The table below includes records with completed manual or full assessments. They include dedicated satellites, hosted payloads and ISS systems. A launch or a bounded experiment does not establish a commercial data center, continuous availability or the deployment of a planned constellation.
This is a comparison of recorded evidence, not a real-time inventory of hardware still in orbit. A program can include both flown hardware and future missions. Read each summary for that distinction. Project records can share a spacecraft, so their counts must not be added together as satellite totals.
Projects with reviewed launch or demonstration records
Existing project classifications and summaries. Review dates are shown separately from event dates.
Project and scope
Recorded status
What the evidence establishes
Aethero PhobosAetheroOrbital compute service demonstration
Operating
Operator-reported operational
Manual review .
Aethero's Phobos launched on March 30, 2026 with the NxN-ECM and NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX in Super Mode. Its current platform page identifies the 4U spacecraft as operational and reports hosted customer containers and continuous computing. The advertised up-to-157 TOPS is a hardware rating, not a disclosed sustained orbital benchmark. Phobos is separate from the planned Titan mission.
Altair-Next GenMarlan Space / Loft OrbitalCompute constellation
Demonstrated
Operator-reported onboard AI workload
Manual review .
The announced 50-satellite Marlan/Loft AI program includes Orbitworks' Altair-1, launched October 1, 2026 with two NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin modules. Loft and NVIDIA report onboard Mistral model operation. Loft's October 27 account identifies the same spacecraft as the first delivery for CNES MS-HR and IOD/IOV, with Safran Reosc imaging and Magellium calibration/ground processing. The initial ten-satellite Altair scope overlaps the broader program and is not additive.
Chaozhisuan (Beijing) Technology led Chaozhisuan-1, launched by CAS Space on 20 September 2026. Its imaging and onboard AI payload is intended to process remote-sensing data in orbit. The founder describes a thousand-satellite-class follow-on ambition; neither a funded fleet nor commercial compute utilization is established.
Chenguang-1 (辰光一号)Beijing Xingchen Future Space Technology Research Institute / Beijing Orbital Chenguang TechnologyOrbital compute technology demonstration
Launched
In orbit
Manual review .
Chenguang-1, also Tianyi-48, entered orbit on 24 July 2026 with an eight-accelerator server to test shared compute, concentrated photovoltaic power and graphene radiator technologies. Beijing Xingchen Future and Beijing Orbital Chenguang led its design, Spacety developed the spacecraft, and CAS Space provided launch. Component roles are disclosed; independently measured compute performance is not.
D-Orbit reported completing Nebula’s 23-application orbital test campaign on ION SCV 003 in October 2021 using Unibap SpaceCloud hardware. The tests mainly used preloaded imagery, with some ION sensor data. D-Orbit currently markets containerized application hosting and onboard processing on ION; current active capacity and utilization are not disclosed.
Edge SpAIce is an Agenium Space-led EU research program that demonstrated a compact marine-litter detection model on EnduroSat's BALKAN 1. CORDIS reports successful image acquisition followed by onboard processing. A separate ground test ran a small neural network on NanoXplore NG-Ultra using CERN HLS4ML. This does not establish a shared data-center service or flight use of NG-Ultra.
EDGX's STERNA demonstration program develops onboard AI computing and offers third-party software and rented mission compute time. The operator identifies March 2026 payloads on Clustergate-2 and Out-of-the-Box. Its undated roadmap lists Out of Tern on Gracious Gloria for February 2027 and Wingman on D-Orbit ION for October 2027. These later bookings are plans, and no measured commercial capacity or uptime is established. An October 28 release reports first operational data from one March payload within two weeks, while the other awaits host commissioning. The release identifies planned 2027 Orin NX Super Mode and Morus Jetson Thor systems. Returned operational data does not establish a published AI benchmark.
Fudan reports orbital validation of Qingniao, a monolayer-semiconductor RF and memory-test system aboard Fudan No.1 (Lancang-Mekong Future Satellite), launched in September 2024. The January 2026 account reports low-error transmission after nine months. This is enabling electronics research, not a shared orbital computer or storage service, and is separate from Xingshu's planned Fudan Optoelectronics-1.
IMAGIN-eThales Alenia Space / MicrosoftISS edge computing demonstration
Demonstrated
In-orbit operation demonstrated
Manual review .
IMAGIN-e is a programmable computing payload delivered to the ISS in March 2024 by Thales Alenia Space with Microsoft Azure Orbital SDK. In January 2026 Thales reported more than a year of operation and external applications. In July 2026 Unibap identified its iX5 as supporting control, synchronization, routing and selected image processing, and quoted Thales reporting simultaneous applications in orbit. This hosted demonstration is separate from the ASCEND architecture study.
JAXA’s D-OBEC hosts its H²-OBC computer and a container-based app platform on iQPS’s QPS-SAR12, launched in August 2025. The program supports post-launch AI app deployment. Space Shift reported four successful onboard SAR ship-detection trials in June and July 2026; JAXA selected nine organizations for eleven candidate apps under demonstration agreements.
KP Labs' 2024 year-end account reports successful in-orbit demonstration of its Antelope data-processing unit. A separate technical account describes integration and testing with D-Orbit's ION carrier. The operator result is preserved without inventing an exact demonstration date, payload capacity or commercial service.
KP Labs' 6U Intuition-1 satellite demonstrates onboard hyperspectral processing using the Leopard DPU. Its December 2024 account reports a November 11, 2023 launch and a year of cloud masking and other AI processing. AAC Clyde Space provided the platform bus. These historical results do not establish current shared commercial-compute capacity.
LeopardISS is KP Labs' remotely accessible AI experimentation DPU in the ISS Columbus ICE Cubes facility. KP Labs' November 2025 account reports orbital execution of Poznan navigation and mapping algorithms, with Space Applications Services supplying hosting infrastructure. This is an experimental payload, not a standalone satellite or a verified current commercial data center.
Lonestar has demonstrated storage and processing on ISS and lunar missions. Freedom completed reported transit tests before IM-2 ended early in March 2025. StarVault is the planned orbital follow-on. ARES Shield disclosed its first commercial Lonestar protection agreement in August 2026 for three satellites initially. Its October 2026 issuer account describes the same agreement as worth more than PLN 22 million and reports TRL 4 after laboratory tests. Wider constellation protection remains prospective, while supplier and hosting agreements retain their distinct commitment levels.
Satellogic launched Merlin.01 on October 1, 2026 into sun-synchronous low-Earth orbit. The company reported first-pass contact, an onboard software update within two days, stable spacecraft health and deployed solar arrays. Merlin is designed to process imagery with AI onboard, use inter-satellite links to cue NewSat Mark VI satellites, and deliver alerts within 30 minutes. Payload testing and commissioning were still pending, so achieved AI performance and full service are not established.
Oriental Tiansuan leads the Mingzhu shared space-computing infrastructure plan. Shanghai reported that its precursor Dongfang Tiansuan / Star Era-44 launched on October 14, 2026 within Xingsuan group 02. Six satellites in that shared batch carried its self-developed computing payloads, described as about 2 PFLOPS peak with 16 TB storage each. These are hardware ratings, not measured orbital results or six additional spacecraft. The wider global network remains planned.
Nara Space's NarSha methane-monitoring program uses Unibap iX5 onboard computing to connect spacecraft and optical payload processing. Unibap reports the NarSha computer aboard Transporter-18 on October 1, 2026. Nara Space reports GYEONGGISat-2A contact, and Scanway reports optical-instrument and active thermal-control startup. These related program accounts do not establish measured AI throughput, current service capacity or the final mapping of each computer to each spacecraft.
NaviGate reported an onboard demonstration of NaviCode Caravel on D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier on September 30, 2026. The software processes existing GNSS measurements for real-time orbit determination. It is a hosted mission-navigation application, not a new spacecraft or shared data center.
OL-1 launched on November 11, 2024 as an intelligent-computing remote-sensing spacecraft carrying Zhejiang Lab software and a foundation model for validation. STAR.VISION's October 8, 2026 account reports more than 5,000 hours of on-orbit operation. This supports operator-reported platform operation, without a disclosed processor benchmark or proof of paid compute service.
Launched — first two satellites, broader validation outstanding
Manual review .
PCI Technology reports that Yusuan Xinghe's first two Pazhou A-group computing satellites entered orbit on 14 October 2026. Its issuer-distributed release identifies them as Xing Shidai-47 and -48, built by ADA Space and launched from Jiuquan on LandSpace's upgraded Zhuque-2. The planned 24-satellite, four-group system remains incomplete. Launch does not establish sustained orbital model inference, distributed computing performance or delivered commercial service.
Pengcheng Tianma / PEGA-SUS1Peng Cheng Laboratory / GalaxySpace / SUSTech / partner laboratoriesShared orbital research and AI-compute platform
Launched
First satellite launched
Manual review .
PEGA-SUS1, also Pengcheng Nanke-1, launched on 20 September 2026 as the first spacecraft in Peng Cheng Laboratory's planned nine-satellite Tianma program. The 150 kg research platform combines communications, sensing and onboard AI, including an updatable digital-retina computing payload. In-orbit validation is planned; commercial compute services and tested performance are not established.
Planetek AI-eXpressPlanetek Italia / D-Orbit / AIKOHosted orbital computing platform
Demonstrated
In-orbit operation demonstrated
Manual review .
AI-eXpress is a Planetek-led platform for on-demand processing and application deployment aboard D-Orbit ION spacecraft, developed with AIKO. Three hosted nodes launched in 2025. A June 2026 announcement describes remotely requested processing on AIX-1+ aboard ION SCV-021 through a ten-minute GEO-relayed connection; this demonstrates a bounded trial, not continuous commercial service.
Planetek Hellas OPTISATPlanetek HellasExperimental orbital processing and optical communications
Launched
Launched experimental mission
Manual review .
Planetek Hellas reports OPTISAT launched on March 30, 2026 aboard Transporter-16. The 6U mission tests onboard processing and optical downlink under an ESA contract in Greece’s microsatellite programme. It is separate from AI-eXpress and ORION.
Google and Planet launched the first Suncatcher prototype on October 1, 2026. On October 30 Google reported onboard Gemma 4 inference on a data-center-class TPU and successful response downlink through Svalbard, following early commissioning tests. Thermal-stress and radiation testing continue. The separate two-satellite interconnect experiment remains planned for 2027.
RUVDS RUVDSSat1RUVDSOrbital server and software-test demonstrator
Demonstrated
Open-testing phase reported
Manual review .
RUVDS reported public access opening on August 13, 2026 for RUVDSSat1 onboard archives, uploads and camera use. This is a final mission-testing phase on a TriSAT software-test platform, not evidence of a durable commercial data-centre service.
Satlyt is developing a federated orbital computing platform. Its official mission account reports March 2026 software execution on a Rogue platform and a separate Momentus-hosted mission through DPhi Space, including telemetry handling and a Gemma troubleshooting agent. Cross-spacecraft workload sharing remains a development goal, distinct from these single-spacecraft tests.
HPE's ISS demonstration program tests commercial computing in orbit. It includes SBC-2, a January 2024 locker carrying more than 130 TB of Kioxia SSDs, and subsequent AI experiments. Historical hardware generations and prospective lunar extensions remain separate.
BUPT's Tiansuan platform supports research code and space-server experiments on real satellites. BUPT-2/3 launched in May 2025 with university-developed servers and communications payloads; BUPT-4 followed in July 2026 with computing and satellite-network security modules. This is an open research program with a planned 24-satellite second phase, not a verified 24-satellite fleet or commercial data-center service. The October 10 CCF and ReedPilot program account reports cumulative deployment of 16 low-orbit satellites and seven ground stations, supporting experiments by more than 60 organizations. These attributed totals do not establish current availability or a completed 24-satellite fleet.
Voyager Space EdgeVoyager Technologies / LEOcloudISS managed cloud demonstration
Operating
Operating prototype reported
Manual review .
LEOcloud’s Space Edge computing prototype launched to the ISS in September 2025. Voyager described it as active in August 2026. Red Hat reports Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.1, Universal Base Image, Podman and Ansible Automation Platform deployed to the ISS micro datacenter. The broader Voyager product family is separate from the flown prototype configuration.
These records have a launch, demonstration or operating classification, but their review has unresolved evidence limits or is unavailable. They are excluded from the reviewed count above.
Axiom Orbital Data Centers: ARC communications validated. Compared current program page and dated ISS-node announcement. Added per-drive SSD capacity and source-backed LiSS hardware. Corrected the planned optical link to satellite-to-ISS. Launched ARC bits-versus-bytes conflict remains unresolved.
Kepler Tranche 1: Commercial services operating. Compared dated commissioning release and current Compute page. Added distributed/failover architecture and CUDA framework support. Product-page100Gbps is not assigned to Tranche1. Existing optical-link unit conflict remains.
Loft YAM Orbital Computing Platform: On-orbit computing demonstrated. Compared operator articles and the NAVI-Orbital primary paper. Saved YAM-9 cluster layout, qualified GPU ratings, quantized model and separate ground timing. YAM-6 launch year differs between official articles. RAM and power remain unspecified.
Orbit AI Orbital Cloud / Genesis-1: Launched demonstrator with attributed AI claims. Compared investor Genesis1 account with current profile. Added attributed NVIDIA hardware and model workload without a chip model, benchmark or current-service claim. Operator homepage returned403, limiting current verification.
ROQuET quantum photonic processor: In-orbit operation demonstrated. Direct reread of arXiv v1 confirmed an irreducible internal conflict between S2.3 and S9.16. The accepted record keeps three usable flight channels and assigns no unsupported detector-failure time. No newer version or official correction was available.
Space Chord Computing Constellation (太空之弦): Satellites launched. Compared the official-hosted August validation-satellite report with the accepted launch and September roadmap. Added validation hardware, 300 kg-class spacecraft mass, sensor specifications and attributed response claims. The 400 TOPS rating is retained outside comparison because precision and per-satellite versus pair scope are unclear. G1, G2 and G3 remain proposed designs.
Starcloud: Demonstration program. Operator pages retain Starcloud-1 launch/model reports and planned Starcloud-2 GPU cluster, persistent storage and sun-synchronous orbit. Quindar software plan and supplier link reconciled. Earlier launch forecasts, investor mission mapping and power definition remain unresolved, without blocking supported facts.
Three-Body Computing Constellation: Satellites launched. October 9 operator recap adds planned IAC compute-pair storage, model, throughput and optical-link specifications, plus a distinct new Oman-pair design. October 8 flight wording conflicts with the later Q4 launch plan. Existing launched batches and shared assets remain separate.
Does launched mean operational?
No. “Launched” records a flight milestone. “Demonstrated” records a disclosed test or capability, whose scope is described in the profile. “Operating” can describe a prototype or an announced service. None of those labels alone establishes paid utilization, independently measured performance or hyperscale capacity.
What is excluded from the comparison?
Proposal, study, development, historical and uncertain classifications are excluded from the table. Historical records can include earlier flights as well as completed studies. Exclusion does not establish that a program has never flown hardware. The full database retains those records and their detailed status.
How is this comparison maintained?
The table follows the same published records as the database. Each row retains its recorded summary, source link and manual or full-profile review date. A review date is not a launch date or proof of continuous operation. If live data is unavailable, a saved catalog is identified above.
For citations, link to this comparison for the market overview and to the individual project profile for a specific claim. Include the date you accessed the page. Read the coverage and evidence limitations.
