In a groundbreaking push to extend computing frontiers beyond Earth’s atmosphere, a prototype orbital data center has been launched to the International Space Station (ISS), orbiting approximately 400 kilometers above the planet. This initiative, spearheaded by Axiom Space in collaboration with Red Hat and sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory, aims to test the viability of edge computing in the harsh environment of space. Delivered via a SpaceX mission in August 2025, the compact system represents a pivotal step toward enabling real-time data processing for future space exploration, where latency from Earth-based servers could hinder critical operations.

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