NASA Spacecraft Swarms for Low Earth Orbit and Beyond

Humanity’s future in space will depend on autonomous robotic spacecraft, whether in orbit around Earth or exploring the far reaches of our solar system. Spacecraft swarms, or groups of autonomous cooperative spacecraft, have the potential to revolutionize future space exploration and science missions. In 2023, NASA’s Starling project launched a team of four satellites to test swarm technologies in orbit around Earth. Additionally, Starling will be exploring advanced space traffic management techniques to cope with an increasingly crowded Low Earth Orbit environment. Nicknamed Inky, Pinky, Blinky, and Clyde, these robotic spacecraft are paving the way for a future in which telescopes can be as large as a planet, hundreds of autonomous spacecraft can coordinate to map the Solar System, and thousands of satellites can sustainably orbit Earth to benefit humanity.

Speaker: Scott Miller, NASA Ames