ExLabs, a commercial deep-space mission operator developing next-generation platforms for exploration beyond Earth orbit, announced it has selected CUS-GNC’s SpacePilot onboard autonomy software to provide guidance, navigation, and control for its Mission to Asteroid Apophis. The collaboration strengthens ExLabs’ ability to operate reliably at extreme distances from Earth, where long communication delays and limited ground intervention demand highly autonomous spacecraft systems.

The Apophis mission will operate more than 100 million kilometers from Earth in a dynamic and largely uncharacterized environment. The mission is scheduled for launch during the asteroid’s 2029 close-approach window, with spacecraft integration and autonomy validation activities planned through upcoming demonstration and flight-readiness milestones. By integrating SpacePilot into its flight architecture, ExLabs aims to reduce operational risk, lower mission-operations burden, and enable responsive, low-touch spacecraft behavior that would be difficult or impossible using traditional ground-dependent control loops.

SpacePilot is a flight-proven autonomy platform that enables spacecraft to perceive changes in their environment, make onboard decisions, and execute maneuvers without continuous ground oversight. For deep-space missions like Apophis, this capability enhances mission resilience, reduces response times, and enables operators to manage complex mission profiles with smaller teams and lower latency constraints.

“This collaboration with ExLabs on the Apophis mission is truly exciting,” said Simone Chesi, Founder of CUS-GNC. “It is a mission that pushes the boundaries of commercial space. Announcing the use of SpacePilot onboard autonomy allows us to demonstrate an AI-driven GNC approach that goes beyond standard architectures and has already been proven in orbit.”

ExLabs Chief Technology Officer Dalibor Djuran emphasized autonomy as a prerequisite for scalable deep-space operations and highlighted the role of CUS-GNC in enabling that capability.

“Operating more than 100 million kilometers from Earth in a largely unknown and constantly evolving environment demands autonomy that is not only intelligent, but flight-proven,” Djuran said. “CUS-GNC’s SpacePilot is differentiated by its ability to close the loop onboard, adapt to uncertainty in real time, and significantly reduce reliance on Earth-based intervention. That capability is foundational to how we scale deep-space missions beyond one-off demonstrations.”

ExLabs’ Mission to Asteroid Apophis is timed to coincide with the asteroid’s close Earth flyby, creating a rare opportunity to validate advanced autonomy technologies while expanding commercial participation in planetary exploration.

Click here to know more about ExLabs' missions