Microsoft’s Azure To Be Connected To SpaceX’s Starlink Satellite Internet

Microsoft Azure’s cloud services will now be connected directly to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, a partnership that is sure to benefit both the companies as well as their customers.

Microsoft’s data centers will connect to Starlink satellites mainly to serve customers who are using Azure cloud services in challenging environments and remote areas where traditional internet range is tough to come by.

Microsoft claims that its new Azure Modular Datacenter can also be used in defence and private sector organizations for military and humanitarian needs. This technology will also serve the huge public and private sector customer base of Microsoft.

“The collaboration that we are announcing today will allow us to work together to deliver new offerings for both the public and the private sector to deliver connectivity through Starlink for use on Azure. Where it makes sense, we will work with Microsoft: co-selling our mutual customers, co-selling to new enterprises and future customers,” SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell said in a video.

SpaceX may see this partnership as a way to push its aim for Starlink satellites to connect the world through high-speed satellite internet unfazed by infrastructure limitations. Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched closed to 800 Starlink satellites, which are only enough to provide internet in select regions as of now, including the northwest U.S., but the company aims for a near-global expansion by the end of 2021.

On Sunday, SpaceX launched 60 Starlink satellites. As the Starlink network is still in its early stages, the team tests the system, collecting latency data and performing speed tests of the service.

Meanwhile, this deal will help Microsoft take another substantial step into the space industry. Microsoft recently entered the space industry with the launch of its new cloud service, Azure Orbital, which connects satellites directly to the cloud.

“As the importance of data to society has increased, so too has the importance of reliable and diverse pathways for connectivity. Our global network of over 160,000 miles of subsea, terrestrial, and metro optical fiber helps billions of people connect all around the world,” Microsoft said in a blog post.

Jeff Bezos is the main competitor for Satya Nadella and Musk in their space exploration, as Amazon offers a similar service. It is also developing Kuiper, a rival for SpaceX’s Starlink.