Arlington, VA · March 28, 2025 —Sedaro Corporation, a leading provider of advanced Aerospace & Defense simulation software, proudly announces the successful on-orbit demonstration of their self-aware satellite autonomy solution, Sedaro Autonomy Framework for the Edge (SAFE).
This autonomy solution, powered by a simulator generated in Sedaro's cloud platform, was successfully uplinked and executed onboard a NOVI Space Inc. (NOVI) satellite flying their new, 2nd-generation SP240 onboard computer.
SAFE was prototyped under a Phase I SpaceWERX Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant.
“Satellite edge autonomy is essential for sustained commercial success and strategic advantage in space. Over the past decade, the proliferation of constellations in low-earth orbit has driven increasingly automated approaches to satellite mission ops from the ground. A highly congested, contested, and dynamic space operating environment demands that we take the next step and bring this automation to the edge.
Sebastian Welsh·CTO & Co-founder·Sedaro
In this successful on-orbit demonstration, NOVI's edge processor ran 150 simulations of its own host spacecraft's subsystems, using SAFE to evaluate the potential outcomes of near-term behaviors and operational decisions. This self-aware prediction of outcomes was driven by integrated, multi-physics simulation of orbital motion, the space environment, and the host vehicle's control system, flight software logic, and power subsystem dynamics. NOVI's edge processor was able to execute the Sedaro edge simulator at over 200× real time.
According to Welsh, “This on-orbit performance proves the technical viability of our solution, which directly translates the heritage, physics-based simulation approach we use for ground-based mission ops to the edge.”
Inside the hardware
NOVI's SP240 is built upon the AMD Versal Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform (ACAP). Its modular architecture consolidates functions into one compact, power-efficient form factor. NOVI's mission provides an early operational demonstration of a Versal-based edge processor in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The Versal has a dual-core ARM-Cortex A72 1.3 GHz processing system with 8 GB of DDR4-3200 memory, supporting high-performance computations necessary for AI machine learning and complex system simulations. The Versal ACAP is further paired with a radiation-hardened ARM M4 MCU from Vorago featuring HARDSIL® technology to enhance reliability in a LEO radiation environment.
“NOVI's and Sedaro's successful on-orbit demo validates an approach to autonomy that can deliver value in the very near future onboard government and commercial space assets. We plan to open-source the SAFE framework to accelerate adoption and disrupt the extremely slow and expensive process of innovation that is the norm in space and defense.
Robbie Robertson·CEO·Sedaro
“It was great to work with the Sedaro team to rapidly integrate new capabilities — moving from concept to execution in just a matter of weeks, underscoring our vision for agile, AI-powered space infrastructure that accelerates innovation and unlocks real-time intelligence for commercial and government missions alike.
Dr. Michael Bartholomeusz·CEO·NOVI
This research was, in part, funded by the U.S. Government. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government. Public Affairs approval # AFRL-2025-1627.