SPEAKER INTERVIEW

Rama Afullo, Founder & CEO, Satlyt

Rama, you are an ex-SpaceX Starlink Product Manager, Cloud Architect at Google, and Telco Business Lead at Tesla. How did your Satlyt’s journey begin? 
 
Satlyt started with a simple but powerful realization: as satellites proliferate, their compute capacity is often underutilized, while ground-based cloud infrastructure struggles with increasing data bottlenecks, latency issues, and energy inefficiencies. My experience at SpaceX, Google, and Tesla gave me a unique vantage point: connecting advancements in cloud, AI, and satellite networks. I saw an opportunity to create a more open and decentralized compute ecosystem in space, where satellites could function as a distributed network, much like terrestrial cloud services. That idea became the foundation of Satlyt, which now has downstream applications too. 

What led you develop the vision of a more open and decentralized approach to space computing? 

Space computing today is highly siloed. Satellite operators typically build closed, vertical systems, limiting interoperability and increasing inefficiencies. Meanwhile, AI and cloud computing on Earth have rapidly moved toward open, decentralized models that maximize performance, flexibility, and accessibility. 
I wanted to bring that same shift to space by turning satellites into a virtual cloud, where operators can monetize excess compute capacity, enable inter-satellite networking, and reduce reliance on ground stations. This approach improves latency, data sovereignty, and resilience while making space infrastructure more efficient and sustainable. 
 
You said “If Starlink is iPhone, Satlyt is Android”. What critical gap in the market did you identify? 

Starlink has revolutionized satellite broadband, but it's a closed, vertically integrated network that SpaceX owns and controls. That’s great for their specific use case, but it leaves a massive gap: what about every other satellite operator? 
 
Satlyt fills that gap by providing an open, software-first platform that any satellite operator can use to share, trade, and optimize compute power. This is similar to how Android enables different manufacturers to build devices while still connecting to a unified ecosystem. Our approach allows satellite networks to interoperate, enabling flexible and scalable in-space computing. 
 
How important it is for the industry to bridge a gap between disconnected satellite operators and terrestrial data centers? 

This is a mission-critical challenge. Right now, satellite operators rely heavily on ground stations to process and relay data, leading to high latency, security concerns, and operational constraints. As AI workloads grow and real-time insights become more valuable, this model is unsustainable. 
 
Bridging this gap means creating a true in-space computing network where satellites can process, store, and share data without always relying on ground-based cloud infrastructure. This shift will unlock new applications in Earth observation, AI inference, and secure communications, reducing latency while keeping data closer to its point of origin. 
 
And finally, what are your expectations for attending and speaking at Space Tech Expo USA? 

I’m excited to engage with fellow industry leaders and innovators who are shaping the future of space technology. My goal is to drive conversations around the next evolution of space computing, demonstrating how interoperable, AI-powered satellite networks will transform data processing, reduce emissions, and enhance operational efficiency for both commercial and defense applications. 
 

See Rama and more speakers in-person at our 2025 conference!