DARPA and Slingshot have created an AI-based system that identifies potential rogue satellites

The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), together with startup Slingshot Aerospace, has developed an innovative artificial intelligence-based Agatha system to identify potentially dangerous satellites that may be lurking among peaceful spacecraft. The system, named after a character from the film "Special Opinion", is designed to enhance national space security.

Here's What We Know

The Agatha system was created as part of the Predictive Reporting and Enhanced Guidance for Target Constellations (PRECOG) programme launched by DARPA last year and has already successfully completed testing. Slingshot researchers used synthetic constellation data from the past 60 years to train the system to detect minute variations in the behaviour of satellites, which helps determine their true intentions.

The system analyses parameters such as the satellite's mass and its interaction with Earth to detect unusual changes that could indicate hidden threats. After training on simulations, Agatha has been tested on real constellations and now uses data from its own Global Sensor Network and other sources to monitor space.

Agatha's development comes at a time when countries such as China are announcing plans to launch mega constellations, making the issue of identifying adversary satellites particularly pressing. The system promises to be a key tool in the space security armoury as the number of satellites in orbit increases.

About Slingshot Aerospace

Slingshot Aerospace provides government and commercial partners worldwide with artificial intelligence-based solutions for satellite tracking, space traffic coordination, and space modelling and simulation. The Slingshot platform transforms disparate space data into a common operational picture of outer space using advanced space object tracking, artificial intelligence, astrodynamics and data fusion technologies.

Source: TechCrunch