OHB Hellas and Parsimoni Advance a New Generation of Orbital High-Performance Computing
OHB, OHB Hellas, and Parsimoni advance a modular, secure orbital high-performance computing architecture built on Versal adaptive computing, Xen virtualisation, and SpaceOS, to be demonstrated at Space Tech Expo Europe 2026 in Bremen.
Preparing the Future of Flexible and Secure Computing in Orbit
As future space missions demand greater autonomy and onboard intelligence, computing architectures in orbit are undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional spacecraft software environments, often designed around static and tightly coupled systems, are increasingly challenged by the need for flexibility, scalability, and secure workload isolation.
To address these evolving requirements, OHB, together with OHB Hellas and Parsimoni, is developing a new approach to orbital high-performance computing (HPC) based on modern virtualization and lightweight software technologies.
The collaboration combines OHB's expertise in system integration and advanced onboard computing with Parsimoni's software innovation capabilities to explore a new generation of modular, secure, and adaptable computing platforms for space applications.
The partners are preparing a joint demonstration for Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen this November, highlighting how next-generation onboard computing architectures can enable more efficient, flexible, and sovereign European space systems.
Building a Flexible and Secure Orbital Computing Architecture
At the core of the collaboration is the ambition to bring cloud-inspired software flexibility into space systems while maintaining the robustness and reliability required for operational missions.
With SpaceOS, Parsimoni provides a lightweight, secure-by-design approach that leverages unikernel technologies and modern virtualization methods. Unlike conventional operating systems, unikernels are highly specialized execution environments designed to minimize software overhead while maximizing efficiency and isolation compared to normal containers. They also work seamlessly with existing flight software platforms
The architecture currently explored by the teams combines:
- AMD/Xilinx Versal adaptive computing platforms,
- a Xen-based virtualization layer,
- and lightweight, virtualized software environments designed to support flexible, modular deployment concepts.
This approach enables secure partitioning and flexible execution of multiple applications on a shared computing platform while leveraging a modern, agile software ecosystem.
Compared with more traditional onboard software approaches, the selected architecture improves development flexibility, portability, and software compatibility while preserving the lightweight and efficient characteristics required for onboard systems.
The use of Xen is particularly relevant for future space infrastructures due to its maturity, strong isolation mechanisms, and established position in security-critical environments. Combined with lightweight virtualization concepts, it enables a modular computing framework capable of supporting dynamic mission requirements and heterogeneous onboard workloads.
Combining High-Performance Processing and Modular Software Design
A major objective of the collaboration is to demonstrate how heterogeneous computing resources can be efficiently orchestrated in orbit.
The AMD/Xilinx Versal platform provides a powerful combination of general-purpose processing and hardware acceleration capabilities, enabling demanding workloads such as AI inference, onboard analytics, and real-time data processing to be executed efficiently within constrained spacecraft environments.
OHB and OHB Hellas are responsible for integrating the different hardware and software components into a coherent operational system capable of validating these new architectural concepts in realistic mission conditions.
Beyond pure integration, the collaboration seeks to demonstrate how future spacecraft could evolve toward software-defined computing infrastructures where applications and processing resources can be deployed, updated, reconfigured, and managed more dynamically during mission operations.
This modularity is expected to become increasingly important as satellites evolve toward more autonomous and service-oriented architectures capable of supporting diverse payloads and mission applications simultaneously.
Supporting European Sovereignty in Space Computing
The initiative also reflects a broader European ambition: strengthening sovereignty in critical onboard computing technologies.
As demand for onboard processing grows rapidly, future space systems will increasingly depend on secure, flexible software infrastructures capable of supporting advanced digital services directly in orbit.
The partnership between OHB and Parsimoni contributes to this vision by combining European-developed software technologies with system-level industrial expertise. The objective is not only to improve onboard computing performance but also to establish a foundation for scalable, secure European space-computing ecosystems.
By leveraging lightweight virtualization, secure partitioning, and hardware-accelerated processing, the collaboration represents a step toward a new generation of adaptive and resilient orbital computing platforms.
Looking Ahead to Space Tech Expo Europe
At Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen this November, OHB Hellas, and Parsimoni will present the latest progress of their collaborative work.
The demonstration will showcase how advanced virtualization technologies, lightweight operating environments, and heterogeneous computing platforms can be combined to support next-generation onboard processing capabilities for future missions.
As space systems continue to evolve toward more intelligent, autonomous, and flexible architectures, collaborations such as this one are helping shape the foundations of Europe's future in orbital high-performance computing.