ESA Space HPC: High-Performance Computing for Space

Pushing the boundaries of computation for the European Space Programme

The ESA Space HPC is a state-of-the-art supercomputing platform created to meet the growing computational needs of the European space industry and to serve as a technology demonstrator to ease adoption of National HPCs and EuroHPCs. By utilising cutting-edge technologies, Space HPC delivers significant computing power with a sustainable and energy-efficient approach, empowering researchers, startups, and industry players to push the boundaries of innovation.

Space HPC, Your Innovation Booster

The ESA Space HPC is a key enabler of innovation for the European space industry. It is tailored to meet the specific challenges of space research, development, and commercialisation. It provides an advanced yet accessible infrastructure that bridges the gap between groundbreaking ideas and real-world applications. Whether you’re a startup, scientist, or industry leader, this is your platform for faster testing, smarter decision-making, and more impactful results.

• A scalable system designed for experimentation and rapid prototyping.
• Seamless access to testing your use cases and demonstration services to de-risk innovation.
• Free of charge* (*with limit on maximum usage) at least until end of 2025.
• Perfect for running complex and large-scale simulations, analysing big data, and developing AI-based solutions.

Built to Serve the Space Industry

The ESA Space HPC is designed to serve the entire ecosystem of the space industry. From startups to established enterprises and academic institutions, the platform provides the tools and resources needed to achieve breakthrough results.

SMEs and Startups

Access high-performance computing resources for free until the end of 2025, with a simple and fair application process.

Scientists and Researchers

Leverage tailored computational power and expert support for specialised use cases.

Innovators and Developers

Shorten development cycles, test ideas quickly, achieve breakthroughs faster and gain a competitive edge.

With the ESA Space HPC, the space industry can innovate, shorten development timelines, and gain a competitive edge in an era of exponential data growth & AI.

A Trusted Partner Offering Significant Benefits

Choosing the ESA Space HPC means choosing a platform built with your needs in mind. Whatever the use cases you want to test, in various domains related to space exploration, satellite operations, and Earth observation, the ESA Space HPC offers you unmatched advantages.

• Simple Access: Light application process and fair and transparent resource allocation.
• Data Security: Sensitive data and intellectual property are fully protected.
• On-Demand Scalability: Adapt resources to your project’s needs as they evolve.
• Collaborative Environment: Share knowledge and ideas to accelerate innovation and discovery. Foster collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas across disciplines.

With the ESA Space HPC, you gain access to a powerful, flexible, and secure infrastructure that turns your challenges into opportunities and allows you to move from concept to realisation faster and more efficiently.

Key Features

The ESA Space HPC combines cutting-edge technology, environmental efficiency, and versatility, making it a game-changer for the space industry. Its architecture is tailored to meet the demands of data analytics, AI, and complex modeling, all while minimising its ecological footprint.

• Computational Power: Over 34,000 CPU cores and 108 NVIDIA H100 GPUs deliver 5 petaflops of raw computing power/performance.
• High-Speed Storage: A robust 3.6 PB SSD storage solution with 500 GB/s bandwidth ensures seamless handling of large datasets.
• Environmental efficiency: Direct liquid cooling maintains energy efficiency with an exceptional Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) below 1.09.
• Custom Architecture Tailored for Space: Specialised partitions for general computation, 2 partitions for both accelerated and AI/ML workload based on H100, and data analytics cater to diverse needs.

Create Value by Accelerating Ideas and Empowering Collaboration

The ESA Space HPC is more than a supercomputer; it’s a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and excellence in the space industry. The ESA Space HPC bridges the gap between space research ambitions and computational possibilities for researchers and businesses.

• Accelerates Research: Drastically shortening project timelines from months to days with optimised workflows and dedicated computational resources. The ESA Space HPC transforms the pace of space science advancement.
• Drives Innovation: Creating a central hub for space-related computational research, enabling knowledge sharing and innovation across disciplines, providing quicker access to testbed and demonstration services. The ESA Space HPC breaks down traditional research silos to accelerate discovery, allowing to experiment without limits, learn from failures, and refine concepts rapidly.
• Provides Operational Excellence: Supporting critical space missions with reliable, high-performance computing resources. From Earth Observation to space weather monitoring, the ESA Space HPC delivers the computational power that makes modern space operations possible.
• Supports Collaboration: Fostering innovation by bringing together scientists, academic researchers, startups and industry partners in a shared computational environment. The ESA Space HPC enables concurrent research projects that advance European space capabilities.
• Strengthens Europe’s Leadership: Strengthening Europe’s position in space research and exploration through world-class computing infrastructure. The ESA Space HPC represents ESA’s commitment to technological sovereignty in space science.

A Historic Home for Cutting-Edge Innovation

Located in the historic town of Frascati, Italy, the site serves as ESA’s Centre for Earth Observation and hosts the Space HPC facility. This strategic location, situated in the picturesque Alban Hills near Rome, combines centuries of scientific heritage with cutting-edge space technology.

The campus exemplifies ESA’s commitment to sustainable operations, with the ESA Space HPC’s advanced heat recovery system integrated into the facility’s infrastructure. This symbiotic relationship enables the reuse of computational waste heat for campus heating, demonstrating how modern space research can harmonise with environmental responsibility.

Stay tuned on the ESA Space HPC updates

The ESA Space HPC is currently in its pilot phase, running test use cases through April. Broader access is planned thereafter, in a ramp-up mode to ensure optimal performance and user experience.

• If you are interested in our Space HPC, contact your Technical Officer or your usual point of contact at ESA or fill the below form to stay in the loop.
• To learn more, register for a webinar via the ESA Learning Hub to explore the benefits, capabilities and use cases of the Space HPC.

The ESA Space HPC is your partner in unlocking the full potential of the space industry. With state-of-the-art resources, expert support, and a thriving community of innovators, the future is within your reach.