A novel multi-mission platform for the development of applications, services, and new satellite data algorithms directly in orbit and on-demand, the Italian In-Orbit Space Lab

In several vertical industries where Earth Observation (EO) data are used today (e.g., agriculture, resource management, etc.), users are focused on their core application, less interested in the data itself and more in the tools that can make their business more efficient and effective. In some contexts (e.g., fire detection) the right information needs to be provided to end users (or potential customers of a service) at the right time and in the right place. And the right place can be in some cases the space segment, where the availability of usable information can be a tipping point. In this approach, part of the EO value chain is shifted from the ground segment to the space segment, to transform sensed data into" intelligence" in a timely manner, to exploit it directly or to enable the optimized exploitation of limited on-board resources (in fire detection this means the downlink of the alert alone with its geographic location, a few dozen bytes instead of GB of raw data). This is the path to transform EO into" Earth Intelligence.". However, such a transition still has inefficiencies that can reduce mission effectiveness and increase operational costs, and most importantly lengthen development time along the entire value chain, from the implementation of new sensors to the testing of innovative algorithms on orbit. In this rapidly changing scenario, training and incubation processes need to be adapted to the new reality, breaking down barriers and mitigating mortality risks for new ventures: this is why the development of a dedicated infrastructure, consisting of a Space and Ground Segment, enabling the realization of a hybrid cloud system that makes data, sensors, AI\cognitive capabilities available, on-demand, in the cloud on the ground and in orbit, at the edge in a federated manner