Companies partner for lunar mission test 55 years after Apollo 11.
Valkyrie, an applied sciences lab and leader in AI-driven technologies, has partnered with Lonestar Data Holdings, a leader in advanced data storage solutions, to include Valkyrie’s knowledge graphs in Lonestar’s payload scheduled to land on the Moon in late 2024 onboard Intuitive Machine’s IM-2 Mission.
This mission will test the operations of Valkyrie’s Graph Database (GDB) and the viability of using this technology on astrophysics data stored onboard by the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Valkyrie Intelligence shares Lonestar’s vision of safeguarding Earth’s data, one byte at a time, through the development of a lunar network of satellites. This network will provide some of the most secure data storage services available, built on an independent infrastructure designed for government and enterprise customers. The spacecraft in orbit will be linked to a ground station, allowing critical data to be stored and transferred securely, bypassing terrestrial networks entirely.
As the demand for robust data security and infrastructure continues to grow, edge processing and machine learning algorithms will become increasingly vital in supporting lunar landers, rovers and other developments on the Moon. Valkyrie and Lonestar are positioned to lead this charge. Their combined efforts will ensure that sensitive information – ranging from classified government data to healthcare and financial records – is securely backed up and protected from hackers, nation-states and environmental threats.
By extending this secure network to the lunar surface, Lonestar, with Valkyrie’s knowledge graph databases, is not only pioneering unparalleled data protection but also positioning itself at the forefront of the burgeoning lunar economy. This visionary approach ensures data security that transcends the reach of cyber threats, geopolitical conflicts and environmental hazards, setting a new standard for the future of data protection.
The primary goal of this partnership is to evaluate the performance of GDB, a groundbreaking data system, in the challenging environment of space.
This technology, known for its ability to conduct searches and retrievals faster and with more context than conventional methods, forms the backbone of Valkyrie’s artificial intelligence and machine learning business, which serves both government and commercial clients.
This mission will mark the first test of Graph Databases in space, utilizing both RISC V architecture and edge processing techniques at the ultimate edge of space and Earth.
“We are thrilled to partner with Valkyrie Intelligence for this historic mission,” said Chris Stott, CEO, Lonestar Data Holdings.
“This collaboration will not only advance our understanding of data processing at the edge but also pave the way for future innovations in space data storage and retrieval.”
Charlie Burgoyne, founder and CEO, Valkyrie, said: “Valkyrie has tirelessly, yet quietly, developed critical capabilities for industry and defense, including graph database technology. The partnership between Valkyrie and Lonestar Lunar has serious implications on the future of data security, edge compute and graph database utility.”
“We believe that by combining our expertise, we can create data centers that are more secure, more efficient, and more effective than anything that has been developed before. Lonestar’s accomplishment is one small step for technology – but a giant leap for industry.”
Key points of the Valkyrie/Lonestar partnership
- Lunar Mission: Valkyrie Intelligence will be part of Lonestar’s payload landing on the Moon in late 2024 onboard Intuitive Machine’s IM-2 lander. This will serve as a pathfinder mission to demonstrate a small data center on the Moon, edge processing and data transfer and refresh from the Earth to the Moon.
- Graph Database Testing: The mission will test the performance of Graph Database on astrophysics data stored onboard.
- Technological Innovation: This mission will explore the capabilities of GDB as a 10,000 times faster search protocol for large data sets, vital for Valkyrie Intelligence’s machine learning applications.
- RISC V Architecture: The test will utilize RISC V architecture, assessing its efficiency in edge processing in space.
