Industry partner ecosystem growth delivers new Azure Space capabilities

Microsoft is a partner-led organization and today marks a significant continued expansion of our partner-first motion for Azure Space since earlier this year. Our differentiated approach is to serve as a platform for innovation, empowering others alongside a partner community. In addition to today’s announcements with Thales, Loft and Ball, we’re launching multiple new partnerships that enable our growing ecosystem to extend connectivity across the world, discover new insights and drive innovation both on the ground and in orbit.

Omnispace and Microsoft jointly architecting global 5G coverage to underserved areas

Microsoft and Omnispace have partnered to jointly architect an Azure-centric end-to-end 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (5G NTN) to supply global 5G coverage to underserved areas. By integrating terrestrial and satellite networks into one seamless connected experience, Omnispace and Microsoft aim to empower consumer, enterprise, government and IoT users with ubiquitous, 3GPP-standardized connectivity.

The envisioned network would combine Azure’s Ground-Station-as-a-Service offering with Microsoft’s Operator 5G Core to route voice and data traffic direct from commercial cellular handsets through a proliferated LEO constellation. Traditional mobile network operators will be able to fill in coverage gaps anywhere on the planet and rely on Microsoft’s proven, high reliability network to augment their existing terrestrial infrastructure.

“Omnispace is committed to advancing the way the world communicates, and we believe it should be as seamless as possible no matter where you are,” says Ram Viswanathan, president and CEO of Omnispace. “That’s why we are thrilled to collaborate with Microsoft on a solution that will make it possible for anyone requiring global real-time connectivity to connect directly to their devices from our 5G satellites in space.”

SkyWatch TerraStream and Azure Orbital enable earth observation satellite operators to scale business and get to market faster

SkyWatch has partnered with Microsoft to offer its TerraStream data management and distribution platform on Azure. TerraStream provides Earth observation satellite operators with a platform to manage incoming tasking requests, create imagery products and provide delivery and billing services to customers. As part of this partnership, Azure Orbital is joining the TerraStream Certified Solutions Provider Network as a Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS) provider. Customers of Azure Orbital can use TerraStream to build a storefront to scale their business and get to market faster.

“Microsoft Azure Space has built an impressive ecosystem of solutions for the space sector. We’re thrilled to partner with Microsoft to deliver the power of TerraStream on Azure to our customers as they forge new paths into space,” says James Slifierz, CEO of SkyWatch.

Microsoft and Intelsat combine space and cloud to deliver 5G networks virtually anywhere

Microsoft and Intelsat recently collaborated on a proof of concept that demonstrates the power of a private network over Intelsat’s global Flex service. Intelsat is building the future of global communications with the world’s first hybrid, multi-orbit, software-defined 5G network designed for simple, seamless and secure coverage precisely when and where customers most need it. Combined with Azure Private 5G and Azure Orbital, customers can establish contact between satellite networks and Azure to scale and bring connectivity to even the most remote corners of earth.

“As enterprises look to private cellular networks to improve the reach, security and quality-of-service over Wi-Fi-only local networks, the ability to support deployments at any site is crucial to creating a fully connected organization,” says Jean-Philippe Gillet, SVP of Global Sales Media & Networks at Intelsat. “The applications demonstrated here with Microsoft highlight the increased automation and standardization of enterprise data-processing services that globally available private cellular networks will enable. Support for high-bandwidth, low-latency networks is central to Intelsat’s vision of an end-to-end ecosystem for a global software-defined 5G network.”

Microsoft, SES and Nokia demonstrate satellite and 5G integration for Australian Defense remote access to Azure cloud services

Microsoft, SES and Nokia have successfully demonstrated secure access to the Azure cloud platform over private 5G and satellite communication (SATCOM) networks, enabling the use of cloud services anytime and anywhere, including remote and austere environments.

The demonstration integrated SES’ SATCOM medium earth orbit (MEO) capabilities, a private Nokia 5G network and Azure cloud compute to deliver remote access to enterprise systems, remote access to high-capacity, low-latency data, and the ability to conduct analysis simultaneously in the field and in the hyper-scale cloud. For this demonstration, high-volume military vehicle data was streamed over private 5G, viewed and analyzed in the field, and then delivered in real-time to an enterprise resource system in Azure over SES’ MEO constellation and transportable satellite terminal antennas.

By unlocking the power of SATCOM, 5G and Azure cloud computing, Defense organizations can remain connected in remote locations, share data quickly and securely to enhance strategic awareness, and perform deep analysis of data to improve decision-making.

SES is an Azure Orbital Ground Station as a Service partner. Learn more about the demonstration here.