The PINEBERRY project-short for Explainable, Robust, and Secure AI for Demystifying Space Mission Operations-centers on two key concepts: Explainable AI (XAI) and Secure AI (SAI). These foundational elements address the growing challenges associated with the increased adoption of AI in space missions. XAI ensures that AI systems operate with transparency, providing human operators with a clear understanding of the decision-making processes behind autonomous systems.
Meanwhile, SAI safeguards AI applications from security threats, such as data corruption or adversarial attacks, that could jeopardize mission success. The project emphasizes making AI models interpretable for users, developers, and researchers, strengthening confidence in these technologies. Additionally, SAI mitigates risks related to vulnerabilities such as data poisoning, prompt injection attacks, and overreliance.
ESA mission controllers also require a deeper understanding of AI-driven decision-making, particularly in high-stakes scenarios where human oversight is limited. The XAI methodologies developed under PINEBERRY work to demystify AI models' "black-box" nature, offering transparency across various data types, including telemetry, natural language reports, and computer vision data.
"In the realm of space exploration, every decision made by autonomous systems must be secure and transparent. PINEBERRY is our answer to the growing need for trustworthy AI solutions that can operate safely in the harshest environments of space. By combining security with explainability, we're setting new standards for AI in space operations," explains Krzysztof Kotowski, Project Leader at KP Labs.
Professor Przemyslaw Biecek from the MI2.AI team at Warsaw University of Technology underscores the significance of PINEBERRY, stating, "The complexity of space operations requires AI systems that are not only advanced but also comprehensible. With PINEBERRY, we're creating tools that demystify AI behavior, ensuring operators can trust and rely on these systems in critical scenarios."
As part of its outreach efforts, PINEBERRY will engage the AI and space research communities through a series of "Secure Your AI" data science challenges in 2025. These competitions, including challenges like "Fake or Real" and "Data Heist," will allow participants to explore AI security risks by hacking and safeguarding AI models used in satellite telemetry analysis. The initiative will conclude with a large-scale Hackathon Day, fostering collaboration and innovation within the AI and space technology fields.
KP Labs has a proven track record of advancing AI-driven space technology. The company's Intuition-1 mission, a 6U satellite launched in November 2023, successfully implemented AI-powered hyperspectral image processing in orbit, optimizing data transmission by filtering out cloud-covered images. Additionally, the LeopardISS experiment, set to launch to the International Space Station as part of Poland's IGNIS mission in May 2025, will test advanced AI algorithms under space conditions, starting with 3D mapping research for future planetary exploration.
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