EdgeCortix unveils SAKURA-I with proven radiation immunity for orbital and lunar ventures

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 04, 2025
EdgeCortix(R) Inc., a leading fabless semiconductor provider focused on low-power Artificial Intelligence (AI) computation at the edge, reports that its SAKURA-I AI Accelerator has shown strong radiation endurance and is primed for space missions in Earth orbit and on the lunar surface. NASA's Electronic Parts and Packaging Program (NEPP) performed two rounds of testing on EdgeCortix(R) Inc.'s hardware, utilizing proton and heavy ion exposures to measure its performance under space-relevant radiation levels.

NEPP initiated these tests to help achieve full autonomy in off-planet environments. While emerging machine learning and computer vision technologies can significantly upgrade sensor-driven applications, their processing needs frequently exceed what embedded CPUs can handle. At the same time, GPUs regularly consume more than 40 watts, surpassing power budgets common to many spacecraft. To address these hurdles, NEPP investigated several COTS low-power AI accelerators, including SAKURA-I, to identify effective solutions.

The proton and heavy ion trials were conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and Lawrence Berkeley National Labs. Findings revealed that SAKURA-I is sufficiently hardened for low Earth orbit, geosynchronous orbit, and lunar conditions. It showed no permanent device failures, while transient effects occurred at a notably lower rate than those observed in similar accelerators. These results highlight the feasibility of incorporating COTS edge AI technology in space missions, potentially reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiency.

"The radiation resilience demonstrated by SAKURA-I marks a significant milestone in the advancement of AI-driven space exploration," said Sakyasingha Dasgupta, CEO and Founder of EdgeCortix. "Processing billions of data points swiftly and accurately at the ultimate edge-space-without relying on Earth-based systems for analysis and decision-making was once considered out of reach. NASA's testing confirms that high-performance, autonomous data processing during spaceflight is no longer just a possibility but a reality. EdgeCortix stands ready to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions that empower autonomous space applications today."

Details on the proton and neutron test results can be found in the published papers below:

EdgeCortix SAKURA-I Machine-Learning, PCIe Accelerator SEE Heavy Ion Test Report here

EdgeCortix SAKURA-I Machine-Learning, PCIe Accelerator SEE Proton Test report here