Summary Points
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Ben Smith from JPL highlights that Dynamic Targeting technology allows satellites to capture only relevant ground imagery while skipping clouds, enhancing data usability for researchers.
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The technology is currently being tested on the CogniSAT-6 CubeSat, which uses AI algorithms and tilts to gather cloud-free imagery quickly, optimizing processing and storage efficiency.
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Future applications include targeting storms, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions using advanced algorithms, with plans for operational use in scientific missions and potentially on spacecraft exploring the solar system.
- Dynamic Targeting could also be adapted for radar to monitor rare weather events, and its results could be shared across multiple satellites, improving collaborative data collection and analysis.
NASA is spearheading an innovative project to enhance Earth-observing satellites using artificial intelligence. These smart systems aim to capture clearer images by avoiding clouds, increasing the amount of useful data for researchers.
“If you can be smart about what you’re taking pictures of, then you only image the ground and skip the clouds,” said an associate from NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office. This approach can significantly reduce unnecessary data storage and processing. As a result, scientists can obtain a higher proportion of usable information.
The project, known as Dynamic Targeting, is currently in testing on CogniSAT-6, a small CubeSat launched in March 2024. The satellite, designed by Open Cosmos, carries payload technology developed by Ubotica, featuring a commercial AI processor. Previous tests aboard the International Space Station showed that this technology could work effectively for space-based remote sensing.
CogniSAT-6 does not have an onboard imager to look ahead. Instead, it tilts its camera to acquire imagery of potential cloud coverage. The Dynamic Targeting algorithm analyzes this data, identifying cloud formations. Based on this analysis, the satellite automatically adjusts its sensor to capture cloud-free images beneath it. This entire process takes just 60 to 90 seconds, as the satellite travels at nearly 17,000 mph (7.5 kilometers per second).
With the initial success of cloud avoidance, future tests will focus on more complex tasks, such as hunting for storms or detecting thermal anomalies like wildfires and volcanic eruptions. Unique algorithms will guide each application, enhancing the satellite’s capabilities.
“This initial deployment of Dynamic Targeting is a hugely important step,” a project leader explained. The ultimate goal is for these technologies to aid in real science missions, making measurements more agile and effective.
The potential applications stretch beyond Earth. Concepts for deploying Dynamic Targeting on spacecraft for solar system exploration are already in the works. Ideas include using radar to study rare winter weather events by observing deep convective ice storms, which current technologies struggle to capture.
Looking ahead, researchers envision a network of satellites sharing data through Federated Autonomous Measurement. This could lead to rapid communication among multiple spacecraft, allowing them to target specific phenomena efficiently. Such advancements could change how scientists monitor Earth and beyond, ultimately improving our understanding of various environmental challenges.
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