The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched a new high-performance computing facility called Space HPC at its ESRIN center in Italy. The facility was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, ESA Council Chair Renato Krpoun, and ASI President Teodoro Valente. Space HPC aims to support scientific research and technological development activities for all ESA programs, as well as researchers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Member States.
The facility will serve as a demonstrator to encourage the adoption of high-performance computing within the European space sector and pave the way for future national and EuroHPC facilities. Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, emphasized the significance of this technological innovation for the country’s security, strategic autonomy, and industrial competitiveness. He highlighted the Lazio aerospace district, which is home to more than 250 companies in fields such as avionics, electronics, radar systems, and satellite services.
Aschbacher stated that the new facility would open up numerous opportunities for space businesses in Europe.
Space HPC launches in Italy
“ESA is providing a flexible supercomputing infrastructure that supports R&D, testing, and rapid benchmarking for ESA programs, industrial players, and researchers,” he said.
“The Space HPC will be accessible to SMEs, startups, and innovation hubs, promoting collaboration within the European space industry.”
The Space HPC will support various activities, including complex simulations, R&D work, AI model computations, data analytics, and visualizations. This centralized facility aims to be more cost-effective than procuring separate HPC services for individual projects and fosters knowledge sharing across ESA programs. It is also viewed as a stepping stone toward future quantum computing endeavors.
To maintain sustainable operations, the Space HPC has been designed to be energy-efficient, supplementing more than half of its electricity needs with solar power generated on-site. The HPC infrastructure was delivered in partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprises. The ESA Space HPC is expected to play a key role in enhancing the digital economy and supporting the European Green Deal and Digital Agenda, ensuring ESA remains at the forefront of technological innovation in the space sector.
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
