ESA Phi-Lab Sweden: Accelerating AI in Space

RISE has been appointed to lead ESA Phi-Lab Sweden, a strategic initiative focused on accelerating the use of AI and edge learning in the space sector. As the programme office, RISE, with financial support from ESA and Vinnova, will coordinate calls for proposals and allocate research grants during the project’s six-year duration.

Part of a European Network

ESA Phi-Lab is a strategic programme for the commercialisation of space technology innovations from the European Space Agency (ESA). ESA Phi-Lab Sweden is part of a European network (Phi-Lab NET) created to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in the space sector through groundbreaking and transformative innovation in Earth observation.

Mission

ESA Phi-Lab Sweden has the specific goal of strengthening Sweden’s innovative capacity and position in the global space market. By promoting the exchange of ideas, resources and knowledge, the project will develop commercial concepts and applications that benefit from advances in AI and edge learning.

Partners

RISE serves as the coordinating partner and receives support from:

• Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
• Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF)
• Swedish Space Corporation (SSC)

This creates a unique connection between research, academia, and industry. The initiative has a total budget of EUR 5.2 million, shared equally between national funds via Vinnova and ESA.

Vision

Over the next six years, ESA Phi-Lab Sweden will serve as a program office, offering test environments and demonstration opportunities for companies and researchers. The goal is to develop commercially viable technology that can be used directly in satellites and space systems, making them faster, more autonomous, and more efficient.

“In the near term, this will enable us to perform AI-driven analysis directly in space, eliminating the need to send data back and forth to Earth. Faster analysis reduces the risk of collisions in space and improves response times during natural disasters,” says Tobias Edman, Head of Data Platforms and Systems at RISE.

“In the long term, the vision is to have fully autonomous robots in the asteroid belt that mine minerals, support space missions, and build space infrastructure,” Edman adds.

Strategic Importance

The establishment of ESA Phi-Lab Sweden marks a strategic effort to strengthen Europe’s position in the global space sector and to give Swedish actors access to new opportunities in research, innovation, and business development.