Robot model
Phi-Sat-1
Phi-Sat-1 (ɸ-Sat-1), launched September 2020 on the Vega rocket, is ESA's first satellite to demonstrate artificial intelligence for Earth observation.
- Manufacturer
- European Space Agency
- Form factor
- aerial
- Maturity
- research
- Lifecycle
- active
- Deployments
- 1
- Website
- esa.int ↗
The verified answer
As of Sep 2026, DEPLOY verifies Phi-Sat-1, a aerial by European Space Agency (research): 1 verified deployment on record. 1 source back the record.
Overview
Phi-Sat-1 (ɸ-Sat-1), launched September 2020 on the Vega rocket, is ESA's first satellite to demonstrate artificial intelligence for Earth observation. A 6U CubeSat in the FSSCat mission, it uses on-board AI to filter cloud-covered images before transmission to ground stations, reducing bandwidth requirements. The AI processing was developed in collaboration with Ubotica and demonstrates ESA's technology roadmap for edge AI in space.
Verified vs. claimed
- Maturity stage
- research(Lab-stage only; no commercial or public deployment reported.)
- Sources on file
- View all sources →
Key facts
Launch
Form factor
Mission
AI capability
Partners
Significance
Specs
Role
Autonomy
Launched
Weight kg
Data & sources
Web sources
1
1 source backing this record.View all →
Pricing
No verified price is on record for Phi-Sat-1. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.
Deployments (1)
ESA Phi-Sat-1 (FSSCat) 6U CubeSat launched 2020-09-03 aboard Vega from Kourou.
Phi-Sat-1 on the deployment map
View the global mapWhere Phi-Sat-1 is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Verified media addedVerifiedJun 11, 2026
Artificial intelligence for Earth observation | ESA
- Record createdJun 6, 2026
Added to the verified registry
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedSep 3, 2020
at Low Earth Orbit
Safety record
No incidents on record for Phi-Sat-1.
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Sources (1)
Common questions
What is Phi-Sat-1?
How much does Phi-Sat-1 cost?
Is Phi-Sat-1 actually deployed in the real world?
Who makes Phi-Sat-1?
Where is Phi-Sat-1 deployed?
Can you buy Phi-Sat-1?
What are alternatives to Phi-Sat-1?
How does Phi-Sat-1 compare to Wing Delivery Aircraft?
Is Phi-Sat-1 a top aerial?
What is Phi-Sat-1's maturity stage?
Is Phi-Sat-1 safe?
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-18
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-07-18
Maturity + lifecycle
Maturity stage: research
Lifecycle: active
Architectural position
Cohort: aerial
Sources by quality tier
- 1
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for Phi-Sat-1.Recent coverage
Phi-Sat-1 in third-party press
Attention vs reality over time
Media mentions per month (area) against verified deployment events (dots). A press spike over a flat deployment line is the hype gap, drawn over time.
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning Phi-Sat-1 from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
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Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /models/phi-sat-1.md
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/models/88a6bb09-5f19-4129-8706-c93ad50bdf76
- Revision history: /models/phi-sat-1/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Reality vs attention
Phi-Sat-1 draws attention at the 63rd percentile but verifies reality at the 1st percentile among aerial robots. Hype Gap +62, 9th widest among aerial robots.
6-month trend
Analysis
Thin deployment record; scale validation still in progress.
Signal flags
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Sep 4, 2026