AI surveillance spacecraft successfully passes design review

Aalborg, November 13, 2023 - A great milestone has been achieved. Space Inventor, along with its partners Unibap, Gatehouse Satcom, Terma, and Center for Security at DTU, is thrilled to announce that the BIFROST mission has made significant progress and navigated through the pivotal Critical Design Review (CDR). BIFROST, a collaborative effort between Danish and Swedish companies, funded by DALO under the Danish Ministry of Defence and FMV under the Swedish Ministry of Defence, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of an AI-based surveillance satellite.

The BIFROST mission, slated for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 in 2025, showcases a groundbreaking initiative in space-based surveillance technology. The objective of the mission is to demonstrate leading-edge key technologies in a research context rather than forming an actual military asset. This venture involves showcasing technologies associated with space-based surveillance, target recognition, and real-time reporting from any orbital location. Among others, the AI-based surveillance satellite is planned to demonstrate tracking of ships that turn off their AIS (Automatic Identification System) and go dark.

Specifically designed for the Danish and Swedish Ministries of Defense, the BIFROST satellite will conduct essential tests on AI-based target search and detection from space, along with real-time communication capabilities between interlinked satellites, showcasing tactical earth observation capabilities.

This milestone not only underscores the collaborative spirit but also propels forward the development of the AI-centric surveillance satellite. Purposefully engineered for the Danish and Swedish Ministries of Defense, the BIFROST satellite will embark on crucial experiments focused on AI-driven target search and detection, complemented by real-time communication capabilities amidst interconnected satellites, thereby exemplifying tactical earth observation capabilities.

"This successful Critical Design Review is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of all the industrial project partners and the Technical University of Denmark. We are confident that the BIFROST mission will pave the way for cutting-edge advancements in AI-based space surveillance", says Dennis Bo Hansen, BIFROST Cooperation Leader at Space Inventor.