Military Embedded Systems

Pit Boss supercomputing processing hardware developed for DARPA

News

January 06, 2021

Emma Helfrich

Technology Editor

Military Embedded Systems

SEAKR Engineering image.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. SEAKR Engineering, Inc. (SEAKR) announced it developed on-orbit technology demonstration of Pit Boss supercomputing processing hardware in nine months as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Blackjack Program.

According to DARPA, Pit Boss is an autonomous, collaborative, distributed space-based enterprise designed to self-task, process, and distribute tactically relevant information to manned and unmanned subscribers. 

As Pit Boss prime, SEAKR will support the Blackjack program with two risk reduction demonstration flights as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) rideshares. The first demonstration, Mandrake I, a cubesat, is intended to validate key Pit Boss hardware and chip level technologies prior to full production. The second demonstration, Mandrake II, aims to advance laser communications between satellites and to ground or airborne assets with Blackjack constellation laser terminals. 

DARPA's Blackjack program focuses on integrating commercial satellite technologies into a constellation of affordable, small, secure, and resilient military satellites. Mandrake efforts aim to combine mission development and management services, integration coordination, as well as mission operations, data reduction, and processor prototype development. 

 

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