Microsoft Cloud Updates: Azure Space; Machine learning; Databases

Jason Zander, EVP of Strategic Missions and Technologies, shared details of new Azure Space capabilities. Azure Space launched two years ago. The newly announced Azure Orbital Cloud Access will provide one-hop, low-latency cloud access “from anywhere on the planet.” This offering is natively integrated with Juniper SD-WAN and provides a pay-as-you-go model. Pitched for digital resilience, the offering is currently in use with Wildland Fire Information Technology group at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, as well as with the Hsinchu Fire Department in Taiwan.

Orbital Ground Station is now generally available. Intended to support the partner ecosystem, it is a managed ground station. Zander gave some examples of Azure Space partnerships to date. Pixxel is streaming its hyperspectral earth imaging satellite data to Azure, Loft Orbital relies on Microsoft for on-orbit compute, and Muon Space is using Azure ground stations while working with Microsoft on environmental, social, governance analytics.