As launch cadence increases and development cycles tighten, the space industry turns to open source to meet the moment. Enter Space Grade Linux (SGL) — an initiative under the ELISA Project aimed at creating a reusable, safety-aware Linux foundation for spaceflight systems.

This talk will introduce the goals and current status of SGL, highlighting three foundational focus areas: 1. Kernel Configuration – Defining a shared starting point for space-focused Linux systems, emphasizing predictability, determinism, and traceability. 2. Booting into Linux: Exploring the safety-critical implications of system bring-up and strategies for improving reliability in space-grade deployments. 3. Userspace Strategy – Discussing early-stage decisions around minimal runtime environments, supervision, and what a safe, maintainable userspace might look like.

Attendees will get a hands-on overview of what’s already available in the GitHub repository, including a Yocto-based reference implementation and working kernel configuration. More importantly, they’ll learn how to get involved — through technical contributions, architecture discussions, or community collaboration.

By defining an open, safety-conscious Linux configuration for aerospace, Space Grade Linux reduces duplicated engineering work across agencies and companies. It creates a neutral, collaborative space for solving hard problems around determinism, boot-time safety, and system integrity. This talk is a direct call for contributors — to help co-create the future of Linux in space and build tools that benefit embedded systems beyond Earth.