ZAITRA and Xiphos Sign Strategic Partnership to Advance High-Performance Edge-AI Processing for SmallSats

08/11/2025, Salt Lake City, UT – The cooperation, announced during the Small Satellite Conference in Utah, addresses the growing demand for advanced onboard applications among SmallSat developers. The cooperation brings together ZAITRA’s AI-based onboard software and Xiphos’ high-performance compute modules to enable smarter, more autonomous missions.

A flagship example is SKAIDOCK, ZAITRA’s space-qualified Data Processing Unit built around the Xiphos Q8 module powered by a Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC. Flight-proven and CubeSat-compatible, SKAIDOCK provides exceptional onboard processing power, reliability, and plug-and-play integration with imager payloads. This joint capability has already been proven in orbit onboard the TROLL satellite earlier this year.

UNLOCKING BETTER CAPABILITIES IN ORBIT FOR ZAITRA

The collaboration allows ZAITRA to deploy more advanced AI models directly in space, leveraging the Q8’s computing power and the upcoming Versal-based Q9 for even greater performance. These modules enable advanced applications such as onboard real-time object detection, change detection, and data-intensive analytics, executed in orbit without waiting for ground processing.

As Marek Marusin, CEO of ZAITRA explains: “Cooperation with Xiphos gives ZAITRA the computing performance and hardware reliability we need to confidently deploy advanced AI-based solutions in orbit.”

OPENING A NEW MARKET FOR XIPHOS

By working with ZAITRA, Xiphos expands into the rapidly growing market of AI-enabled onboard data processing for Earth observation and in-orbit servicing. ZAITRA’s integration of Q-boards into its flight-proven payloads extends Xiphos’ reach into missions demanding high autonomy and onboard decision-making.

Edwin Faier, President of Xiphos Systems adds “Xiphos appreciates the multiple avenues the Zaitra collaboration provides to meet customer needs around the globe. Zaitra has a proven capability to design custom hardware/software solutions based around Xiphos processors and Zaitra AI capabilities can also be deployed on Xiphos Payload Computers and OBCs.”

A TURNKEY SOLUTION FOR THE END USER

For satellite integrators and mission owners, the ZAITRA-Xiphos solution delivers a complete, ready-to-fly onboard processing package:

• Faster mission deployment thanks to pre-integrated hardware/software.
• Guaranteed lead time and reduced development risk with proven, space-qualified units.
• Lower downlink costs by processing and filtering data onboard.
• Increased autonomy through AI-powered decision-making in orbit.
• Real-time data delivery for time-critical applications.

Coupled with SKAISEN, ZAITRA’s onboard AI solution for object detection and selective data compression, missions can dramatically reduce transmission of low-value or cloud-covered imagery, prioritize critical data, and support real-time event response. SKAISEN runs efficiently on Q8 and will be optimized for the upcoming Q9 Versal-based DPU, which will deliver even higher computational throughput for future AI-intensive missions.

About ZAITRA
ZAITRA is a Czech space startup founded in 2020, developing onboard AI-powered software SKAISEN, and space-grade Data Processing Units SKAIDOCK based on Xiphos modules. By enabling real-time data processing in orbit and enhancing mission autonomy, ZAITRA helps satellite integrators reduce reliance on ground segments. In 2024, ZAITRA secured €1.7M in pre-seed funding, with products already deployed in multiple commercial missions. Learn more: www.zaitra.io

About Xiphos
Xiphos develops high-performance, radiation-tolerant COTS-based embedded computing systems for space. With hundreds of units launched across commercial, scientific, and government missions, Xiphos supports a global customer base. In 2023, Xiphos was acquired by Epiq Solutions. Learn more: www.xiphos.com

Attn. Media:
Images are online at https://tinyurl.com/ZAITRA-Xiphos

MEDIA CONTACTS
ZAITRA:
Alexandra Jelenova
alexandra@zaitra.io
+420 605 247 388

Xiphos:
Josh Duncan
josh.duncan@xiphos.com
1-847-598-0218 ext 281