How can India track space objects in real time? A distributed optical network uses AI to detect, identify, and catalogue objects in orbit.
Digantara has unveiled MOSAIC, an AI-powered optical sensor network designed to detect and track objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The system uses multiple interconnected ground-based sensors to provide continuous observations of satellites, orbital debris, and other Resident Space Objects (RSOs).
The network is designed to improve space surveillance by distributing observations across multiple sensor locations. This can provide more frequent visibility of objects in orbit and help operators detect targets that may otherwise be difficult to track from a single location. The system can also support celestial navigation in GPS-denied environments.
MOSAIC uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to process observations and identify stars and RSOs. Its distributed architecture allows the network to combine observations from multiple sensor nodes, helping build a more complete view of activity in LEO.
The initial deployment consists of five interconnected nodes. Each node combines an Optical Head Unit for precision sky imaging with an Electronics Head Unit that handles onboard processing, communications, timing, and autonomous operations.
The system also uses “Lost-in-Space” attitude estimation to determine the position of objects without requiring prior tracking information. This allows the network to detect and catalogue objects that have not already been identified. The nodes are designed for operation in harsh environments, with solar power and battery backup supporting deployment across locations with different climatic conditions.
MOSAIC adds an optical sensing layer to the company’s broader space-domain-awareness infrastructure, which combines ground-based sensors, space-based tracking, and AI-based data fusion. Together, these technologies are intended to improve the ability to monitor objects across different orbital regions.
“Space surveillance depends on knowing what is in orbit and where it is, and MOSAIC is designed to provide that visibility continuously through a network of distributed sensors,” says Anirudh Sharma, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Digantara.
Click here for the official announcement.
