Mission Control and Spire Global to Showcase AI in Space with Persistence Mission

The heart of the mission is Mission Control’s SpacefarerAI platform, designed to simplify the deployment and updates of AI models for spaceflight

Canadian startup Mission Control, in collaboration with Spire Global, announced the launch of the Persistence mission—a groundbreaking technology demonstration focused on space-based artificial intelligence (AI). Set to begin aboard a Spire Lemur cubesat, the yearlong mission aims to demonstrate the resilience of onboard spacecraft autonomy using deep learning AI.

The Persistence mission, equipped with an optical camera, will push the boundaries of AI's applications beyond traditional Earth observation. "This mission isn’t just about Earth observation; it’s about demonstrating real-time AI model updates and proving AI’s trustworthiness for future space applications,” said Ewan Reid, CEO of Mission Control, during the International Astronautical Congress. The heart of the mission is Mission Control’s SpacefarerAI platform, designed to simplify the deployment and updates of AI models for spaceflight, enhancing real-time decision-making and bandwidth preservation through in-orbit processing.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is funding 75% of the mission, with Mission Control providing the remaining budget. CSA President Lisa Campbell noted that the funding provided by the organization enables Canadian enterprises to progress and that it contributes to the advancement of technology into space. Theresa Condor, Chief Operating Officer of Spire, emphasized the significance of the mission in furthering autonomous systems, given that Spire was responsible for the cubesat's design, construction, and operation. This partnership demonstrates Spire's growing space-as-a-service capabilities and opens the door for more advancement in space-based artificial intelligence.