Azure Space, Microsoft’s project to bring the power of cloud computing to the space and satellite connectivity/computing industries, is getting a major upgrade, the company has announced.
In a new blog post, Microsoft describes the new partnerships and new features it hopes will result in better satellite imagery, better connectivity, and more data/insight.
Azure Orbital is a fully managed cloud-based ground station-as-a-service that allows users to interact with their spacecraft or satellite constellations, downlink and uplink data, process data in the cloud, access Azure services in unique scenarios. Allows you to connect services with and introduce new products to create.
AI-powered eye in the sky
The platform has now entered the preview phase, meaning customers can now communicate and control satellites directly from their ground stations around the world – without any backhaul costs to Azure.
Microsoft also announced SpaceEye as well as an image-enhancing feature built on Project Turing. Powered by artificial intelligence, the SpaceEye tool allows satellites to see through clouds and see what’s happening on the planet’s surface, providing image enhancements that make the resolution of satellite images comparable to aerial images. Increases.
“Sixty percent of the world is covered in clouds – a major challenge for Earth observation from space is that much of Earth is covered in opaque clouds,” Microsoft states in the announcement. “Built on Azure by Microsoft Research, SpaceEye is an AI-based system that generates cloud-free optical and multispectral images of the planet on a daily basis.”
Microsoft said the technology outperforms Bing Maps globally, which accounts for more than 50% of all user requests.
The company also announced partnerships with Airbus, iDirect, Esri, Blackshark.ai and Orbital Insight, which provide better satellite imagery, more flexible solutions, more data and new insights.
“The power to extract and leverage data collected from space could transform entire industries and create new paradigms,” concludes Microsoft. “Azure Space unlocks powerful opportunities for customers through partnerships, space data, our collaboration tools, and Microsoft services and capabilities.”
