# IBM and Red Hat (orbital software): orbital data center program

> United States (United States), supplier. Stage 4 of 7: Payload demo flown. Red Hat software runs on Axiom AxDCU-1 (ISS, August 2025) and on Voyager Space Edge (on the ISS since NG-23, September 2025; RHEL 10.1 announced 2026-05-11).

- Canonical page: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers/ibm-red-hat
- This Markdown version: https://spacenexus.us/orbital-data-centers/ibm-red-hat.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

- Red Hat software runs on Axiom AxDCU-1 (ISS, August 2025) and on Voyager Space Edge (on the ISS since NG-23, September 2025; RHEL 10.1 announced 2026-05-11). Sources: [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/orbital-data-center); [Red Hat](https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/voyager-and-red-hat-propel-red-hat-enterprise-linux-orbit-space-edge-micro-datacenters)

## Approach

- Orbit: ISS
- Architecture: Software and models for space edge: Red Hat Device Edge on Axiom AxDCU-1; RHEL 10.1 on Voyager Space Edge
- Power: Not applicable
- Cooling: Not applicable
- Compute: Software (Red Hat); onboard EO models (IBM Research)
- Customers: Axiom Space, Voyager Technologies

## Milestones

| Date | Status | Confidence | Milestone | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-08-24 | achieved | Confirmed | Red Hat Device Edge on Axiom AxDCU-1 reaches the ISS | [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/orbital-data-center); [RCR Wireless](https://rcrwireless.com/20250820/test-and-measurement/orbitaldatacenter) |
| 2026-04-01 | achieved | Confirmed | IBM Think article on space data centers; IBM Research cautions on bandwidth | [IBM](https://www.ibm.com/think/news/data-centers-in-space-one-giant-leap-ai) |
| 2026-05-11 | achieved | Confirmed | RHEL 10.1 deployment on Voyager Space Edge (ISS) announced | [Red Hat](https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/voyager-and-red-hat-propel-red-hat-enterprise-linux-orbit-space-edge-micro-datacenters) |

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

No dated next step announced.

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

No IBM-owned orbital hardware program found.

## People

- Martin Schmatz (IBM Research Zurich)

## Sources

- [Axiom Space](https://www.axiomspace.com/orbital-data-center)
- [Red Hat](https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/voyager-and-red-hat-propel-red-hat-enterprise-linux-orbit-space-edge-micro-datacenters)
- [RCR Wireless](https://rcrwireless.com/20250820/test-and-measurement/orbitaldatacenter)
- [IBM](https://www.ibm.com/think/news/data-centers-in-space-one-giant-leap-ai)

## Licence and credits

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