Belgian spacetech company EDGX has launched its first in-orbit demonstration of STERNA, an AI-powered edge computer for satellite constellations, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 mission. Two hosted payloads are now operational in orbit, enabling real-time data processing directly in space for commercial, governmental, and defense applications.
STERNA integrates NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX technology, delivering up to 100 TOPS baseline performance and scaling to 157 TOPS in power-rich systems. It dynamically adjusts power from 10W to 45W to handle varying orbital thermal and power conditions, with a targeted 7-year operational lifetime. The system processes data onboard, reducing the need to downlink large raw datasets and minimizing latency for applications like Earth observation analytics and signal intelligence.
The Transporter-16 mission lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 30. This follows EDGX’s €2.3 million seed funding in June 2025 and a €1.1 million commercial contract. EDGX plans a compute-as-a-service model, allowing customers to upload software for in-orbit processing, with two pilot projects set for 2026. The company has produced over 30 flight-ready units and receives support from ESA, the European Commission, and the Belgian Ministry of Defence.
EDGX CEO Nick Destrycker stated, “This launch marks a key milestone for EDGX and for Europe’s position in space-based computing.” Co-founder and CTO Wouter Benoot added, “NVIDIA built the Jetson Orin silicon to push AI performance at the edge. We went one step further, put it in orbit.”