Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein manage data from spaceborne and airborne nodes. In one implementation, a control system may obtain sensor data from sensors of spaceborne or airborne nodes. Once obtained, the control system may process the sensor data to determine metadata associated with the sensor data. Once processed, the sensor data may be stored in one or more data stores, such that applications may access the data based at least in part on the metadata.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing data storage in a satellite platform. In one implementation, a satellite platform includes a plurality of satellites, wherein a first satellite of the platform is configured to identify a request for a ledger entry for a blockchain maintained by the satellite platform and, in response to the request, distribute the ledger entry to one or more other satellites of the satellite platform, wherein the one or more other satellites comprise full nodes for the blockchain. Once distributed, the one or more other satellites each determine whether the ledger entry is verified and, when the ledger entry is verified, enters the ledger entry in a ledger for the satellite.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for spaceborne and airborne computing platforms. In one example, an airborne computing platform includes a plurality of airborne devices, with one or more of the airborne devices comprising specialized roles defined by at least one among software elements and hardware elements targeted to the specialized roles. Individual ones of the airborne devices are configured to identify tasks to be serviced using one or more of the specialized roles, determine one or more target devices to handle the tasks based at least in part on attributes of the target devices, and transfer at least task instructions for delivery to the target devices for performing the tasks.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein manage the deployment of applications across multiple provisioning layers. In managing the applications, a management service may monitor resource usage by the applications that are executing in a first provisioning layer, wherein the first provisioning layer comprises physical nodes such as airborne or spaceborne nodes. While monitoring the resource usage, the management service may determine when the resource usage by the applications satisfies migration criteria and, when the applications satisfy the migration criteria, select one or more of the applications to be offloaded to another provisioning layer. Once selected, the management service may initiate deployment of the one or more applications in the other provisioning layer.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for the deployment of applications in an airborne and spaceborne system. In one implementation, when an application is to be deployed to the system, the system identifies a subset of physical nodes with sensor data associated with the application. Once identified, the system determines accessibility data for the physical nodes of the system to access the sensor data associated with the application and deploys the application to at least one physical node based on the accessibility data.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for the deployment and management of resources across spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based physical nodes to perform user tasks and applications. In one implementation, physical nodes of a system collect sensor data from physical sensors. Once collected, the physical nodes apportion the sensor data among logical sensors associated with the physical sensors and provides data streams to data requestors as originating from the logical sensors.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for the deployment and management of converged resources across satellites, aircraft, and ground-based nodes to perform user tasks and applications. In one implementation, a system includes a first physical node that monitors sensor data to determine when the sensor data qualifies for an operation triggering event. Once the sensor data qualifies for the operation triggering event, the first physical node may generate and communicate a notification to a second physical node to initiate a new operation to support the triggering event.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying communication networks in clusters of satellite devices. In one example, a first set of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a first orbital configuration, and a second set of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a second orbital configuration. A communication network is formed among the satellite devices and is configured to selectively exchange communications among satellite devices in the first orbital configuration and satellite devices the second orbital configuration based at least in part on an operational status of the communication network.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing data storage in a satellite platform. In one implementation, a satellite platform includes a plurality of satellites, wherein a first satellite of the platform is configured to identify a request for a ledger entry for a blockchain maintained by the satellite platform and, in response to the request, distribute the ledger entry to one or more other satellites of the satellite platform, wherein the one or more other satellites comprise full nodes for the blockchain. Once distributed, the one or more other satellites each determine whether the ledger entry is verified and, when the ledger entry is verified, enters the ledger entry in a ledger for the satellite.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in spaceborne and airborne devices. In one example, a satellite device includes one or more sensor systems, a communication interface, and a virtualized execution system. The virtualized execution system is configured to receive state information via the communication interface from at least a peer device related to execution of one or more software payloads by the peer device, and execute one or more virtual nodes based at least on the state information to employ the one or more sensor systems and establish imaging data.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing data storage in a spaceborne or airborne platform. In one implementation, an airborne device in an airborne platform may identify a request to store a data object in a storage pool provided by a plurality of airborne devices. The airborne device will further identify at least one airborne device for storing the data object from the plurality of airborne devices, and communicate the data object to the at least one airborne device.

Abstract: Provided herein are various improvements to satellite or payload deployment systems and equipment. In one example, a satellite deployment apparatus is provided. The satellite deployment apparatus includes opposing retention members configured to engage protrusions of a satellite and hold the satellite with respect to a baseplate. The satellite deployment apparatus includes at least one pusher element configured to preload a deployment force on the satellite against the opposing retention members when the protrusions of the satellite are captive in the opposing retention members, and a deployment mechanism configured to spread the opposing retention members responsive to triggering by an actuator system and release the protrusions of the satellite for deployment of the satellite away from the baseplate using at least the deployment force.

Abstract: A self-mating modular satellite bus includes a plurality of side panels each having a front surface flanked by a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, wherein the first longitudinal edge of each side panel is nested with the second longitudinal edge of an adjacent side panel. The longitudinal edges, when superimposed, form a joggle. A method of producing the modular satellite bus includes forming a plurality of the panels, aligning the first longitudinal edge of each side panel with the second longitudinal edge of an adjacent side panel, such that the first longitudinal edge of each side panel is nested with the second longitudinal edge of the adjacent side panel, and securing the first longitudinal edge of each side panel to the second longitudinal edge of the adjacent side panel.

Abstract: Various enhanced power supply configurations for satellite devices are discussed herein. In one example, satellite device includes a chassis and a power control module. The satellite device also includes an array of polygonal-shaped power units combined into a geometric arrangement by disposing the polygonal-shaped power units around the power control module within the chassis. In some examples, the polygonal-shaped power units comprise a rhomboid chassis or enclosure that provides arrangement into a hexagonal array when coupled to eight further rhomboid power units. Other polygonal arrays can be formed using arrangements of the repeating polygonal-shaped power units.

Abstract: A self-mating modular satellite bus includes a plurality of side panels each having a front surface flanked by a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, wherein the first longitudinal edge of each side panel is nested with the second longitudinal edge of an adjacent side panel. The longitudinal edges, when superimposed, form a joggle. A method of producing the modular satellite bus includes forming a plurality of the panels, aligning the first longitudinal edge of each side panel with the second longitudinal edge of an adjacent side panel, such that the first longitudinal edge of each side panel is nested with the second longitudinal edge of the adjacent side panel, and securing the first longitudinal edge of each side panel to the second longitudinal edge of the adjacent side panel.

Abstract: A satellite configuration includes a plurality of individual satellite buses each having a number of side panels that form a polygonal shape, where the individual satellite buses collectively fit together to form the satellite configuration having a regular polygon shape. A method of producing the satellite configuration includes forming a plurality of individual satellite buses each having a polygonal shape, and fitting the individual satellite buses together to form the satellite configuration in a regular polygonal shape.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in spaceborne and airborne systems, among others. In one example, an airborne or spaceborne physical node comprises a communication interface configured to receive software payloads, and logistical control elements of the physical node. The physical node further comprises a virtualized execution system configured to execute ones of the software payloads deployed on the physical node as associated virtual nodes that share resources of the physical node.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing data storage in a satellite platform. In one implementation, a satellite in a satellite platform may identify a request to store a data object in a storage pool provided by a plurality of satellites. The satellite will further identify at least one satellite for storing the data object from the plurality of satellites, and communicate the data object to the at least on satellite.

Abstract: Various enhanced operational and communication handling techniques for satellite devices are discussed herein. In one example, a method of operating an orbital satellite device of a satellite cluster is provided. The method includes identifying operational status information for at least a peer satellite device in communication range of the satellite device. Based at least on the operational status information, the method includes selecting a quality of service level for communications to be transferred to the peer satellite device, and applying the quality service level to transmit data packets to the peer satellite device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for the deployment and management of converged resources across satellites, aircraft, and ground-based nodes to perform user tasks and applications. In one implementation, a method includes identifying a request for a logical node and identifying physical requirements of the logical node. The method further includes selecting physical nodes from a plurality of physical nodes to support the physical requirements of the logical node and distributing configuration data to the physical nodes to implement the logical node.