Technologyby Tim Fernholz
Satlyt Raises $8M to Bring Open AI Software to Satellites
Key Takeaways
- Satlyt raised $8 million in seed funding for orbital AI software.
- The startup aims to be the Android of space, offering open ecosystem software.
- Software runs AI models locally on satellites, reducing costly data downlinks.
- Co-founder Rama Afullo previously worked at Google and SpaceX.
Satlyt has secured an $8 million seed round to advance its vision of becoming the Android of orbital computing. Founded by Rama Afullo after his internal pitches at Google and SpaceX were rejected, the startup provides open software designed to run AI models across multiple companies' satellites.
The platform helps spacecraft handle complex computing tasks and process sensor data locally, bypassing slow and costly communication with ground stations. Demonstrations, including running Google DeepMind's Gemma model on a Momentus spacecraft, have shown significant cost savings and efficiency gains for satellite operators.
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