Amazon has announced the creation of the aerospace and satellite solutions business segment, which will aim to provide Amazon Web Services (AWS) solutions explicitly tailored to space-based businesses. The new division will be headed by retired Air Force Major General Clint Crosier, the former head of the planning group that inaugurated the new US military service, the US Space Force, General Crosier. states that “we are at the most exciting time in space since the Apollo missions”, and goes on to say that “I have seen AWS transform the IT industry in the last ten years and be instrumental in so many space milestones.” I am honored to join AWS to continue to transform the industry and advance the space enterprise. ”
Amazon’s new address
The established goals of aerospace and satellite solutions include the reinvention of space systems architectures and the transformation of space enterprises. The new division will also seek to provide cloud-based solutions aimed at processing spatial data both in orbit and on Earth. Teresa Carlson, vice president of global public sector for Amazon Web Services, points to the “thousands of new satellites” to be launched in the next five years. They will serve everything from low-latency internet and IoT to NASA’s Artemis project, which is committed to landing astronauts on the moon by 2024. AWS sees space as the future, and Amazon wants a piece of it.
The AWS ground station
Amazon is no stranger to space-based operations. The AWS Ground Station is a well-established service that provides satellite operators global access to their workloads in space, enabling them to download data and deliver satellite commands with speed and agility. A low-cost “space-as-a-service” solution. cost, AWS Ground Station saves satellite operators the expense and hassle of owning and managing their ground station infrastructure. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) is among the service’s many customers. Also in the mix is Project Kuiper, Amazon’s massive effort to launch more than 3,000 satellites into space to provide broadband internet throughout the world. planet. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, also owns Blue Origin, a private space launch company.
The AWS ground station supports efficient communication with satellites, making it easy to downlink, process, and distribute satellite data within minutes of capture. Image credited to Amazon
Support from industry leaders
It may be poor wording to say that Amazon is starting to work in space. Still, just as the Air Force was well established in space before General Crosier “spun off” the Space Force, Amazon had been an expert in space operations before the Aerospace and Satellite Solutions division split from AWS. According to William Hillman, Head of Geospatial Operations, Geollect, “By working with AWS, Geollect provides near real-time geospatial maritime intelligence, which means it is now possible to track and analyze ship and fleet activity around the world at previously speeds. unthinkable. “Citing” Maxar’s longstanding partnership with AWS, “Dr. Walter Scott, Maxar Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, states that” This new AWS business will support Maxar when we launch our new WorldView Legion satellites on Next year, we will triple our 12-inch image collection and greatly increase our currency and scalability for government missions. s and business use cases. This division will also enhance the space industry as a whole, enabling additional organizations to gain speed, agility and resilience from the world’s leading cloud. ”
There is no room in this universe for both of us
The recent boost could be due to moves by Amazon’s archrival, Google. Google has hooked Viasat, SES, Intelsat and Inmarsat as clients for its Azure division. There are considerable shenanigans underway involving the Pentagon’s coveted Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud contract, over which the two rivals are fighting. It was reported on Nextgov that Amazon is protesting the initial award of the contract to Google due to influence. inappropriate of President Trump. So far, it appears that the Pentagon is pulling. Stay tuned!
