As our technologies advance, teams are looking at how we can use artificial intelligence and robotics to solve complex problems that might otherwise endanger human lives. While I have to admit to being a bit disturbed by swarming cooperative robots on Earth, I’m intrigued by new research showing that nanosatellites can be programmed to work together. Specifically, the Skoltech Space Center’s Nanosatellites Swarm project has enabled their tiny satellites to measure the Earth’s geomagnetic field and pass that information along to other nanosats. 

Since the geomagnetic field can affect navigation, this information, shared across a constellation of satellites, allows the leading craft to warn their swarm-mates so they can compensate in real-time. According to a press release on this research: The new method can be used to build large constellations at a lower total cost by using less expensive sensors.

This is super cool work, and while part of my brain is wondering, “Is this how we get Cylons? This feels like how we get Cylons,” I have to admit I’m in favor of lowering the cost of the satellites we need for our modern lives.

More Information

Skoltech press release

“Tetrahedral satellite formation: Geomagnetic measurements exchange and interpolation,” Anton Afanasev, Mikhail Shavin, Anton Ivanov, and Dmitry Pritykin, 2021 May 15, Advances in Space Research