A billion-dollar contract between two French and Emirati companies to launch satellites equipped with artificial intelligence

 French satellite infrastructure company Loft Orbital announced Wednesday that it has signed a $1 billion contract with UAE-based Marlan Space to launch 50 satellites equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Loft Orbital stated that Marlan Space, a subsidiary of the UAE's IHC Group, intends to invest $1 billion in France to build the world's largest AI-powered satellite constellation in partnership with the company.

This announcement coincided with the opening of the International Space Summit in Paris.

Loft Orbital added that the 50 satellites will be equipped with advanced optical sensing, continuous communication, radar, and monitoring capabilities, as well as integrated computing power that will allow them to continuously analyze what is observed in orbit.

According to the Toulouse-based startup, these technologies can be used to monitor forest fires, missiles, or threats targeting energy infrastructure.

The French company Mistral AI will equip the satellites with integrated artificial intelligence technologies, while Orbitworks, a joint venture between Loft Orbital and Marlan Space, will handle the satellite manufacturing.

The first launch is scheduled for October.

Loft Orbital co-founder Pierre-Damien Faugeur said in a statement, "This constellation is the first of its kind in the world. While current satellite models are limited to providing us with data, future models will be able to deliver, analyze, and interpret data. This marks the beginning of the era of proxy AI in space."