Axiom Space, Spacebilt Announce Orbital Data Center Node Aboard International Space Station

By Phison| Sep 16, 2025| All, News

Collaboration with Microchip Technology, Phison Electronics, and Skyloom Will Deliver Additional Data Storage, Computing and AI Capacity to Low-Earth Orbit

PARIS, Sept. 16, 2025 - Axiom Space and Spacebilt Inc. announced today a multi-organization collaboration to bring optically-interconnected orbital data center (ODC) infrastructure to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2027.

The Axiom Orbital Data Center Node on the International Space Station, (AxODC Node ISS), developed under a collaboration agreement with Spacebilt, and supported with an Optical Communication Terminal (OCT) by Skyloom, and hardware by Phison Electronics, and Microchip Technology, will establish an optically interconnected, high-performance ODC node aboard the station enabling satellites, other spacecraft in low-Earth orbit (LEO), astronauts and researchers to store and process data, and run Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) workloads and other cloud computing applications. This evolution builds upon the achievement of launching the Axiom Data Center Unit One (AxDCU-1) to the space station in August, a progressive step in Axiom Space's initiative to continue the proliferation of ODC nodes, and in alignment with the announcement in April by Axiom Space to launch AxODC Nodes 1 and 2 NET late 2025.

"The Axiom Space team has been deploying and operating cloud computing capabilities on the space station since 2022," said Jason Aspiotis, global director of in-space data and security at Axiom Space. "AxODCNode ISS is particularly exciting because not only are we increasing computing capacity on the space station, but we are integrating commercial optical communications terminals with the station which gives our computing hardware connectivity to satellites in the mesh network.This is part of our roadmap for a distributed and federated network of ODC nodes, steadily increasing data storage and processing capacity available to national security, civil, commercialand international clients anywhere in LEO. By 2027, we plan to have at least three ODC nodes, interconnected and interoperable with each other, and provideservices to any satellite and spacecraft with compatible OCTs."

Spacebiltis leading the engineering design effort and the implementation of the internal and external payloads. Additionally, Spacebiltisdelivering its Large In-Space Servers (LiSS), representing the first deployment of petabyte-class servers in space with PhisonPascari enterprise class solid-state drives (SSDs), along with Microchip Technology's PIC64 High-Performance Spaceflight Computing (PIC64-HPSC), providing the servers and the AxDCU-1 networked access to OCTsinstalled on the outside of the station.

"SpacebiltInc. provided the world's first lunar data server for a commercial customer in 2025 as well as compute infrastructure for the station's external payloads," said Dennis Wingo, president and chief technology officer of Spacebilt."Thiscollaboration with Axiom Space, and the support from Microchip Technology for the first flight of the NASAco-fundedPIC64-HPSC, and the first LEO flight of Pascari enterprise class 122.88terabyte SSDs from PhisonElectronics, brings a new era in compute and storage in space."

PhisonElectronics is supplying PhisonPascari enterprise-grade SSDs that will deliver over one petabyte of storage to the AxODCNode ISS. This will representthe second spaceflight of Phison'sPascari enterprise SSDs following a lunar landing earlier this year.

"We are committed to enabling storage in space as the next data frontier," K.S.Pua, CEO and Founder, PhisonElectronics. "To support this launch and bring unmatched, petabyte-level storage capacity in an ODC environment, Phisonis providing Pascari enterprise SSDs as the foundation for the AxODCNode aboard the International Space Station. Pascari delivers petabyte-class storage, tested for the harsh environments in space and primed to travel to low-Earth orbit for the first time. This milestone demonstrateshow our innovations in high-performance storage are extending beyond data centers on Earth to enable the next era of space-based computing and AI."

Microchip Technology is providing multiple components in LiSS, including a PCIe® Gen5 switch, PolarFire® SoC, and the PIC64-HPSC, a next-generation microprocessor designed for high-reliability computein space environments. The HPSC will serve as the core controller and workload central processing unitrouting high-data-rate communications from the laser systems while alsopowering and managing the servers.

"Microchip's PIC64-HPSC processors, developed in partnership with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, are setting a new standard for space-based computing by bringing AI/ML acceleration and robust Ethernet-based,time-sensitive networking to the intelligent edge," saidMicrochip Technology's Communication Business Unit Vice President Kevin So. "By collaborating with space infrastructure pioneers Axiom Space and Spacebilt, we are helping to shape the foundation for next-generation orbital data centers. This milestone underscores Microchip's commitment to advancing the PIC64-HPSC platform as a catalyst for innovation across the rapidly expanding new-space ecosystem."

Skyloomis providing one Space Development Agency (SDA) Tranche 1-compatible commercial OCT, enabling up to 2.5 Gbps of connectivity between satellites in LEO and the AxODCNode ISS. This is the first step towards future 100 Gbps connectivity, which will also provide AxiomSpace, Spacebilt, and their commercial customers with telco-grade,high-data-rate, low-latency communications access for transporting data from space back to the ground.

"We are laying the foundation for an optical backbone that will one day make space as connected and data-richas Earth," said Eric Moltzau, Chief Commercial Officer of Skyloom. "By enabling high-speed optical links to the AxODCNode, we're accelerating the future of orbital cloud computing and AI-driven decision-making in space."

This cooperation representsthe future of ODC infrastructure and orbital cloud services in LEO. Terrestrial cloud infrastructure is interconnected and accessible anywhere in the world, and supported by an ecosystem of cloud service providers, data center builders, computing hardware vendors, and fiber cable network providers. Orbital cloud infrastructure will continue to evolve as an ecosystem of space platform providers, LEO-hardened computing hardware vendors, and optical communications relays. Axiom Space believes there is a tremendous opportunity for companies around the world to collaborate and unlock the future of space-based cloud and AI.

About Axiom Space
Axiom Space is building the world's first commercial space station - Axiom Station. Serving as a cornerstone for sustained human presence in space, this next-generation orbital platform fosters groundbreaking innovation and research in microgravity, and cultivates the vibrant, global space economy of tomorrow. Today, driven by the vision of leading humanity's journey off planet, Axiom Space is the principal provider of commercialhuman spaceflight services to the International Space Station and developer of advanced spacesuits for the Moon and low-Earth orbit. Axiom Space is building era-defining space infrastructure that will empower our civilization to transcend Earth for the benefit of every human, everywhere.

About Spacebilt

Spacebilt is a space systems company based in the heart of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara California, focused on in-space assembly and manufacturing, reprovisioning, and logisticsacross the inner solar system. Spacebiltdeveloped the SMART-1 platform on the International Space Station, provided the world's first data server to the Moon for a commercial customer in 2025, and continues to advance the state-of-the-art for in space compute and storage. The Large in-Space Server (LiSS), a 500+ TB orbital data storage and compute platform which is the first of a line of high performance in space compute and storage systems, bringing the computer revolution to the space sector.

About Phison Electronics

Phison Electronics is a global leader in NAND flash controllers and storage solutions, powering more than one in every five SSDs shipped worldwide. Phisonhas grown into a multi-billion-dollar company with over 4,500 employees-70% of which are dedicated to R&D - and more than 2,000 patents.

The company's innovations include aiDAPTIV+, an award-winning AI solution for affordable LLM training and inferencing on-premises, and Pascari, a portfolio of ultra-high-performance enterprise SSDs purpose-built for data-intensive workloads across AI, cloud, and hyperscale data centers.

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. is committed to making innovative design easier through total system solutions that address critical challenges at the intersection of emerging technologies and durable end markets. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio support customers throughout the design process, from concept to completion. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support and delivers solutions across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. For more information, visit the Microchip website at https://www.microchip.com.

About Skyloom Global Corporation

Skyloom Global Corp. is a Colorado-based telecommunications innovator focused on developing, deploying, and operatingspace-based telecommunication infrastructure for global data transport services. Leveraging deep heritage in space optical communications networking technologies, Skyloom enables real- time data transfer, allowing customers and decision makers to utilizeperishable information.

For more information contact:

Axiom SpaceSam [email protected]@axiomspace.com

SpaceBiltDennis Wingo, President and Chief Technology [email protected]

Phison ElectronicsLynn Kelly, US Public [email protected]_americas@phison.com

Microchip TechnologyBrian [email protected]

Skyloom Global [email protected]