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Spire Global Partners with SATE on ESA-Supported Research Program to Advance AI-Driven Autonomous Constellation Operations

Spire Global, Inc. announced a partnership with SATE to develop and validate an artificial intelligence system for real-time satellite health monitoring, anomaly diagnosis, and predictive failure analysis through STRAIDE, an 18-month research and development program funded through subscriptions to ESA by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the UK Space Agency (UKSA), with programmatic support from ESA.

As satellite constellations scale, operators are increasingly challenged to monitor system health across large, distributed fleets. STRAIDE is designed to address this by enabling earlier detection of in-orbit issues, reducing operational downtime, and extending satellite lifespan through predictive maintenance and automated diagnostics.

Through the program, Spire will contribute its vertically integrated satellite platform, onboard processing capabilities, and operational flight data, along with a ground-based hardware replica of its satellite systems. SATE will further develop and integrate CLUE, its AI-based diagnostic system designed to continuously monitor satellite “vital signs,” detect early warning signals, diagnose anomalies, and estimate time-to-failure for critical components. The system is designed to operate both onboard satellites and on ground, providing flexibility for satellite operators.

“As Spire’s satellite constellation grows in scale, the operational complexity of managing each asset demands a fundamentally different approach,” said John E Ward, Spire’s Senior Director of Research and Development. “STRAIDE brings artificial intelligence on-board for satellite autonomy – detecting anomalies earlier, anticipating failures before they occur, and freeing operators to oversee larger fleets with greater confidence. Ultimately, STRAIDE positions Spire to enable earlier intervention, improved system resilience, and more efficient fleet management at scale.”

Spire continues to expand its onboard processing and autonomous satellite operations capabilities. As an early adopter of on-orbit edge computing, the Company has deployed satellites with onboard processing capabilities since 2022 – enabling more advanced data processing and decision-making directly in orbit.

Over the course of the 18-month program, the partners will work toward a validated end-to-end demonstration of the system with the aim of informing how AI-driven diagnostics can be integrated into Spire’s satellite architectures – supporting more autonomous operations, improving fleet resilience, and reducing reliance on ground-based intervention as constellations continue to scale.