Key points:
- As part of this collaboration, Microsoft said that Azure Space, in conjunction with SpaceX.
- Azure Space is which strives to provide creativity to fulfil the mission needs of the space industry.
- In favour of a Space Tracking Layer defence system that is capable of detecting and tracking nuclear.
Today, Microsoft has taken a huge step in improving the Azure cloud computing platform’s capability. The organization revealed it was working with SpaceX, headed by Elon Musk, to provide Azure satellite-powered internet access.
Microsoft stated:
As part of this collaboration, Microsoft said that Azure Space, in conjunction with SpaceX, aims to provide satellite connectivity through SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network between field-deployed assets and cloud services worldwide to both the public and private sectors.
What is Azure Space:
Azure Space is the Azure service for those of you who don’t know, which strives to provide creativity to fulfil the mission needs of the space industry.
On the other hand, the Starlink satellite network is a low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite network that seeks to offer Broadband satellite access to areas of the Earth where Internet connectivity is scarce.
To achieve their goal, the two companies aim to tie Starlink’s high-speed and low-latency satellite broadband with Azure’s new Modular Data Center (MDC).
In addition, the two companies also will connect Starlink with the global network of Microsoft, which includes Azure edge equipment, combining the ground stations of SpaceX with Azure networking capability.
Now, the big question is, why is it important?
Well, the answer to this question is very clear. As Azure integrates its services with the satellite infrastructure of SpaceX, it will not only boost the accessibility of Azure but will also expand and develop the capabilities of businesses using Azure, which, as the tech giant said, includes not only public sector businesses but also public sector companies.
It will also offer an advantage to Azure over AWS, led by Jeff Bezos.
But this is not the only area on which Microsoft and SpaceX have been operating together.
In favour of a Space Tracking Layer defence system that is capable of detecting and tracking nuclear, cruise and hypersonic missiles, SpaceX recently earned a contract with the US Space Development Agency to build new satellites that are different from its own Starlink system. Microsoft announced it would join the project’s SpaceX team.
“While the two companies plan to serve government customers, particularly in defence and intelligence, in areas like telecommunications, electricity and agriculture, they anticipate increasing satellite connectivity and power opportunities in the private sector,” Microsoft wrote in a statement.
