Fujitsu's supercomputer in the cloud could help unlock the mysteries of space

Fujitsu
(Image credit: Fujitsu)

Fujitsu's soon to launch high performance computing (HPC) cloud is already being put to use researching the next generation of space travel. 

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) utilized Fujitsu’s wave analysis solution to conduct large scale electromagnetic wave simulations, used to evaluate the radio wave intensity within the X-ray spectrometer of the space agency's X-ray imaging satellite XRISM.

Utilizing Fujitsu’s solution, JAXA was reportedly able to generate an experiment environment that simulates observation conditions as in outer space and conducted evaluations that could not be performed with traditional computing methods.

Why does this matter?

Electromagnetic interference between electronic components and communications equipment can be a big issue for users in all types of different fields, from space to standard urban transportation.

Fujitsu claims precise simulations of complex and large-scale electromagnetic wave problems could not be solved with conventional approximation algorithms.

However, using the HPC solution JAXA successfully confirmed that the radio wave intensity in XRISM’s X-ray spectrometer is at a level that does not impact the observation performance of the satellite even in orbit.

"This represents a major technical advance in satellite design," said Masahiro Tsujimoto, associate professor, JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. "n the XRISM satellite project, the results of this simulation played an important role in quantitatively evaluating unverified risks and confirming the validity of the design.”

Interested?

Even if a satellite is out of your budget range, you might still be available to afford some of the technology under the project's hood.

Japanese readers will be able to get access to the computing cloud for between $400 to $8,000 a month, depending on their requirements, when it launches later this year. 

Dubbed Fujitsu Computing-as-a-Service (CaaS), the cloud will give users access to some of the same Arm-based architecture that powers the world's most powerful supercomputer, "Fugaku" in Kobe, Japan.

Will McCurdy has been writing about technology for over five years. He has a wide range of specialities including cybersecurity, fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, cloud computing, payments, artificial intelligence, retail technology, and venture capital investment. He has previously written for AltFi, FStech, Retail Systems, and National Technology News and is an experienced podcast and webinar host, as well as an avid long-form feature writer.