Future pathways

Improve existing infrastructure first#

The nearest research path tests efficient execution on accessible ground resources. Model selection, utilization, scheduling and overhead can be evaluated separately.

Advance when savings repeat without unacceptable quality, latency or reliability penalties, and survive independent reruns under realistic load.

Connect resource networks#

A second path coordinates operators with different resources. Moving work adds transfer costs, privacy restrictions and timing uncertainty.

The decision gate is net benefit after communications, verification and settlement. The locally fastest resource may not be the best system-wide choice.

Explore space-native work#

Orbital-compute research suggests examining work whose inputs originate in space before assuming general-purpose terrestrial replacement. Our inference is to select workload fit before infrastructure scale.

An experiment should specify power, thermal limits, input/output traffic, fault behavior and lifetime. Progress requires meeting these constraints simultaneously.

Conditions for larger orbital systems#

• Lower combined cost of spacecraft construction and deployment.
• Durable power and radiator hardware over a useful mission lifetime.
• Sustained communications matched to the workload.
• High utilization with a realistic replacement or servicing plan.
• Lifecycle assessment including manufacture, launch and disposal.

A proposed research roadmap#

These phases are a proposed sequence, not completed milestones or fixed dates. Each should produce a reviewable deliverable before the next expands the scope.