Accelerating Space Exploration with the HPE Spaceborne Computer

On January 30th, 2024, the third iteration of HPE Spaceborne Computer climbs to the International Space Station aboard Northrup Grumman’s 20th resupply mission, the SS Patricia Robinson. Named in honor and celebration of the life of the NASA astronaut, the mission objective is to build on previous award-winning deployments and provide the international scientific community access to an expanded scope of space-based edge computing, AI, and machine learning capabilities.

Spaceborne’s journey

HPE and NASA collaborated to test if affordable, off the shelf servers could withstand the harsh conditions of space and provide reliable computing aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Highlights of this collaborative journey include:

2024

The launch of our third mission to the International Space Station on January 30th.

2023

HPE Spaceborne awarded the NASA Team flight award for AI-based EVA Glove analysis, the JPL Group Achievement Award, and a US Patent.

2022

24 research experiments completed on station accelerating time-to-insight from months to minutes with use cases including healthcare, image processing, natural disaster recovery, 3D printing, and 5G.

2021

Spaceborne Computer-2 Launched Into Space

2020

Next Version of HPE Spaceborne Computer Handed Over to NASA

2019

HPE Spaceborne Computer Returns to Earth

2018

HPE Spaceborne Computer Open for Supercomputing Use on the ISS

2017

HPE Spaceborne Computer Successfully Reaches and Powers Up in Space

Solution components

The HPE Spaceborne Computer-2 will simulate computational loads during actual space travel via data intensive applications.

The following components serve as the foundation to simulate these loads.

HPE Edgeline Converged System

Delivering enterprise IT capabilities in a ruggedized system designed for the harsh operating environments found at the edge.

HPE ProLiant System

Delivering unmatched workload optimization, security, and automation.

HPE HPC Solutions

Continuously collaborating, building, validating, and delivering secure, innovative, production-level HPC solutions with leading-edge technologies and services.

HPE Serviceguard for Linux

Increasing uptime within a data center by protecting against faults and enabling downtime-free maintenance and upgrades.

Use the International Space Station as your own research lab!

HPE and the ISS National Lab invite proposals to perform experiments on the ISS utilizing the HPE Spaceborne Computer-2 (SBC-2).

Submit your proposal

Interested in participating? Send an e-mail to spaceborne@hpe.com with the following information:

Give your name

Your full name

Tell us your organization

Your organization’s name and mission

Enter an explanation

One paragraph explaining your proposed experiment and why you are proposing it
Get started

Past experiments

For 20 years, students have designed, built, launched, and operated their own experiments on the ISS doing such things as controlling robots, analyzing space imagery, communicating via radio from the ground to space and back, and conducting cutting-edge genetic research. Have an experiment you’d like to perform on the ISS? Perhaps your experiment will be next!

Learn more about past experiments

Take a closer look

Blogs and on-demand presentations