A satellite has autonomously decided where and when to capture scientific images using onboard AI in under 90 seconds. This technology, known as Dynamic Targeting, was tested by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) using a satellite from Open Cosmos equipped with a machine learning processor by Ubotica. The AI analyzed the area for cloud cover before capturing detailed images, optimizing data collection and saving bandwidth. The capability could enhance the detection of natural phenomena like wildfires and volcanic eruptions from space, indicating a shift in satellite functionality from passive data gathering to intelligent decision-making.
"If you can be smart about what you're taking pictures of, then you only image the ground and skip the clouds," said Ben Smith of JPL, which funds the Dynamic Targeting work.
"It takes post-processing, which could be days later, to say, 'Hey, there was a fire. Hey, there was a harmful algal bloom'," said Quinn in a published on NASA's website earlier this year.
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