# Axiom Space Orbital Data Center: orbital data center program

> United States (United States), startup. Stage 4 of 7: Payload demo flown. Its first two ODC nodes launched as hosted payloads on Kepler satellites on 2026-01-11, after the AxDCU-1 prototype reached the ISS in August 2025.

- Canonical page: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers/axiom-space-odc
- This Markdown version: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers/axiom-space-odc.md
- Data as of: 2026-10-05 (last evidence review)
- How the numbers are made: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers#method

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## Stage evidence

- Its first two ODC nodes launched as hosted payloads on Kepler satellites on 2026-01-11, after the AxDCU-1 prototype reached the ISS in August 2025. Sources: [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/11/3216480/0/en/kepler-successfully-launches-first-tranche-of-optical-relay-satellites.html)

## Key figures

- ODC nodes in orbit: 2 nodes. Sources: [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/11/3216480/0/en/kepler-successfully-launches-first-tranche-of-optical-relay-satellites.html)
- Texas Space Commission grant (up to): $5.5M. Sources: [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/texas-space-commission-fuels-orbital-data-center)
- Planned ISS node storage: >1 PB (company claim). Sources: [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/axiom-space-spacebilt-announce-orbital-data-center-node)

## Approach

- Orbit: LEO: nodes on Kepler satellites in SSO; units on the ISS
- Architecture: Orbital data center nodes hosted on partner satellites and on the ISS, linked by SDA-standard optical links; kilowatts now, megawatts after 2030 (company goal)
- Power: Host-provided
- Cooling: Host-provided
- Compute: AxDCU-1: Red Hat Device Edge and MicroShift on the ISS. Nodes 1 and 2: compute payloads on Kepler satellites. Planned ISS node: Microchip PIC64-HPSC, over 1 PB Phison storage
- Customers: National security, commercial and international (company says; none named)

## Milestones

| Date | Status | Confidence | Milestone | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2022-04-08 | achieved | Confirmed | AWS Snowcone runs ML on the ISS during Ax-1. Earlier precursor on Axiom Mission 1. | [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/news/snowcone); [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/23/aws-sent-a-snowcone-to-space/) |
| 2023-12-19 | achieved | Company claim | ODC plan announced: ISS prototype, then a half-cubic-meter rack by 2027 | [Axiom Space](https://axiomspace.com/release/orbital-data-center) |
| 2023-12-19 | achieved | Confirmed | Plan: an ISS orbital data center prototype in 2024. AxDCU-1 reached the ISS on 2025-08-24. | [Axiom Space](https://axiomspace.com/release/orbital-data-center) |
| 2025-04-07 | achieved | Company claim | First two ODC nodes to fly on Kepler optical relay satellites | [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/axiom-space-to-launch-orbital-data-center-nodes-to-support-national-security-commercial-international-customers) |
| 2025-04-07 | achieved | Confirmed | Plan: Nodes 1 and 2 on Kepler satellites by the end of 2025. They launched on 2026-01-11 with Kepler's tranche, 11 days after the target. | [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/axiom-space-to-launch-orbital-data-center-nodes-to-support-national-security-commercial-international-customers) |
| 2025-08-24 | achieved | Confirmed | AxDCU-1 prototype to the ISS on CRS-33 with Red Hat. Kubernetes (MicroShift) in orbit; ISS National Lab sponsored. | [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/orbital-data-center) |
| 2025-09-16 | achieved | Confirmed | AxODC Node ISS announced with Spacebilt, Phison, Microchip, Skyloom. Petabyte-class node targeted for 2027. | [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/axiom-space-spacebilt-announce-orbital-data-center-node); [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/axiom-and-spacebilt-to-establish-iss-data-center-node/) |
| 2026-01-11 | achieved | Confirmed | ODC Nodes 1 and 2 launched on Kepler Tranche 1. Falcon 9 from Vandenberg; Axiom workload results not published. | [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/11/3216480/0/en/kepler-successfully-launches-first-tranche-of-optical-relay-satellites.html); [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/axiom-space-to-launch-orbital-data-centers-on-kepler-satellites/) |

## Announced next steps (as the organisation stated them)

- 2027: AxODC Node ISS (petabyte-class, optical link) delivered to the ISS. Sources: [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/axiom-and-spacebilt-to-establish-iss-data-center-node/)

## What to watch (SpaceNexus note, not a prediction)

Whether Axiom publishes workload results from its two Kepler-hosted nodes, and whether the ISS node ships in 2027.

## Funding

- 2025: Texas Space Commission SEARF grant (up to; runs to 2027-11-30), $5.5M. Sources: [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/texas-space-commission-fuels-orbital-data-center)

## Cautions

- "Operational" status of the nodes rests on company statements; no Axiom workload results are public.

## People

- Jonathan Cirtain (CEO since 2025-10-15)
- Jason Aspiotis (Global Director of In-Space Data and Security)

## Sources

- [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/11/3216480/0/en/kepler-successfully-launches-first-tranche-of-optical-relay-satellites.html)
- [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/texas-space-commission-fuels-orbital-data-center)
- [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/axiom-space-spacebilt-announce-orbital-data-center-node)
- [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/news/snowcone)
- [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/23/aws-sent-a-snowcone-to-space/)
- [Axiom Space](https://axiomspace.com/release/orbital-data-center)
- [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/release/axiom-space-to-launch-orbital-data-center-nodes-to-support-national-security-commercial-international-customers)
- [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/orbital-data-center)
- [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/axiom-and-spacebilt-to-establish-iss-data-center-node/)
- [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/axiom-space-to-launch-orbital-data-centers-on-kepler-satellites/)

## Licence and credits

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