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Computer-technology startup AICRAFT is poised to play a major role in lunar missions planned by the United Arab Emirates after securing a contract in the Middle East to help power a new generation of rovers to explore the Moon’s surface.
AICRAFT, an Adelaide-based company founded in 2021 by Dr Tony Scoleri, has been enlisted by the Emirates Lunar Mission to deliver an advanced onboard computer to handle data processing from science cameras, rover navigation and communication.
The computer will be engineered to perform autonomous operations by running artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models as part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre’s (MBRSC) Emirates Lunar Mission which plans to explore the Moon’s surface through a series of planned lunar landings.
The Emirates Lunar Mission was established in 2019 and launched its first rover mission in December 2022 on a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket.
While that mission failed in its attempt to safely land in the Atlas crater, the Emirates team has since been working on a new generation rover named Rashid 2, a project that is still in progress.
AICRAFT specialises in purpose-built electronics and advanced semiconductor technology that are said to provide “ultra-compact, high-speed, low power embedded AI solutions for high-performance computing at the edge”.
The company says its innovative products focus on enabling “immediate decision making in situ, longer operational uptime and extended system lifespan”.
“AICRAFT is thrilled to contribute to MBRSC’s Lunar Mission and their planned next-generation rovers,” says Scoleri, the CEO of AICRAFT.
“We have worked closely with MBRSC to meet their requirements and come up with a unique OBC (onboard computer) design.
“The specifications are now all set, and we will begin the first prototype board design and manufacture in the coming months.
“This project exemplifies our commitment to empowering customers with reliable, low-power AI-driven solutions and supporting MBRSC to lead humanity’s exploration of the Moon and beyond.”
Prior to establishing AICRAFT, Scoleri worked for a decade in academia and had a long stint with the Defence Science and Technology Group, which is the federal government’s agency for science and technology in defence and national security, before turning his attention to the private sector.
The company says that in order to meet the rigorous requirements of the Emirates lunar mission, AICRAFT will incorporate state-of-the-art radiation-hardening technologies and innovative designs in both software and hardware to “ensure reliable and predictable system performance for the mission’s duration and beyond”.
“Soft and hard errors such as bit flipping and over-current events often occur due to sudden high-energy particles striking the electronics,” the company says.
“These situations will be efficiently recovered from using AICRAFT’s innovative error detection and correction algorithm, paired with dedicated circuitry for advanced data reliability checks and power integrity resilience.”
The company says AICRAFT’s solutions are more advanced than what is currently achievable with “off-the-shelf” products, enabling resources to focus on the mission’s objectives rather than fault recovery.
“While the lunar environment is less extreme than Earth’s orbits or deep space, the rover must endure the cruise phase from Earth to the Moon, daytime temperatures up to 130°C (260°F), and nighttime lows of -170°C (-280°F),” the company says.
“A meticulously designed OBC is critical not only for achieving the Emirates Lunar Mission’s objectives but also for advancing future lunar exploration.”
Since the MBRSC was established in 2006, it has grown to become the incubator of the UAE National Space Program, fostering scientific research, innovation and building a sustainable space sector in the UAE.
“Collaboration is a key aspect of MBRSC’s approach to advancing space exploration, enabling us to integrate the best technologies and expertise into our missions” says Dr Hamad Ahmad Al Marzooqi, project manager of the Emirates Lunar Mission.
“Our partnership with AICRAFT reflects this commitment, as we work together to enhance the onboard computing capabilities of future lunar rovers.
“The Emirates Lunar Mission is designed to generate scientific insights and technological capabilities that will inform future lunar and planetary exploration.”
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