Satlyt Raises $8M to Bring AI to Satellites, Aims to Be 'Android of Orbital Computing'

**Satlyt Raises $8M to Bring AI to Satellites, Aims to Be 'Android of Orbital Computing'** Satlyt, a new venture founded by a former product manager from tech giants Google and SpaceX, has successfully secured $8 million in a recent funding round. The startup's ambitious goal is to revolutionize space computing by enabling the direct execution of artificial intelligence applications on satellites. The company envisions itself as the 'Android of orbital computing,' offering open software designed to operate across a diverse range of satellites from various companies. This approach stands in stark contrast to the closed, integrated systems championed by entities like SpaceX, which often mirror the 'iPhone-style' model prevalent in the smartphone industry. By providing a flexible, open-source software platform, Satlyt aims to lower the barriers to innovation in space. This will empower companies and organizations to develop and deploy their own AI applications on satellites with greater ease. Running AI directly on board satellites can significantly enhance their capabilities for real-time data processing and analysis, opening new frontiers in areas such as Earth observation, telecommunications, and defense, while reducing the need to transmit vast amounts of raw data back to Earth for processing.