Cowboy Space partners with NOAA to test orbital data processing

Cowboy Space Corporation has entered into a two-year cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to test the feasibility of processing environmental satellite data in orbit.

The collaboration aims to determine if using artificial intelligence to process raw data on satellites can reduce the time required for forecasters to access critical information. Instead of transmitting all raw data to Earth, Cowboy Space’s approach involves using AI to process data in space and transmitting only high-quality, essential results.

The testing will utilize the company’s upcoming Reason-2 satellite, which is scheduled for launch in 2027. NOAA will provide historical raw data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on its JPSS polar-orbiting satellite system, along with existing open-source AI models. While the results will be evaluated for potential future integration into NOAA operations, the processed data from this specific test will not be used for official weather forecasting services.