Xplore Inc., a commercial space company providing Space as a Service®, completed a satellite testing initiative using Microsoft Azure Orbital to conduct satellite operations for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s NOAA-18 satellite. Xplore is operating over a dozen satellites on orbit; the company completed its work with Azure and became one of the first cloud-based ground control software to operate a NOAA satellite.
Xplore integrated Azure Orbital as part of a first-ever Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to demonstrate how commercial services and cloud operations can be used to securely control satellites and acquire data with NOAA satellites.
Lisa Rich, Xplore Founder and Chief Operating Officer said, “the results of this CRADA reinforce the value Major Tom offers its customers. It demonstrates our ability to offer a cloud-based solution and provides NOAA with a path to sustainability and as well, a means by which they achieve redundancy and reliability for satellite operators.”
Legacy satellites, new constellations and experimental satellites benefit from mission operations services offered by Major Tom. In the case of the NOAA-18 satellite, this initiative with Azure Orbital demonstrated technical feasibility of using the cloud to successfully connect with legacy software, designed over 15 years ago. Further, it demonstrates how mission operations through the cloud allow satellite operators to take full advantage of commercial ground stations as a service.
Steve Kitay, Senior Director, Azure Space at Microsoft Corp. said, “Our work with NOAA and Xplore is driving innovation to virtualize satellite ground station operations in the cloud. Empowering agencies to tap into these newest commercial technologies is unlocking new levels of resiliency and global capacity for critical mission operations”
Xplore’s Major Tom service offers a scalable platform with powerful satellite mission operations and planning tools. The cloud-based software allows operators to perform ground station scheduling, satellite tasking and telemetry monitoring, saving money and time on operations. It provides the ability to integrate and control ground segment applications and services, and further de-risks mission operations with features that include out-of-the-box ground network integrations, data analytics, real-time dashboards and a customizable commanding API.
Lisa Rich, Xplore Founder and Chief Operating Officer said, “the results of this CRADA reinforce the value Major Tom offers its customers. It demonstrates our ability to offer a cloud-based solution and provides NOAA with a path to sustainability and as well, a means by which they achieve redundancy and reliability for satellite operators.”
Legacy satellites, new constellations and experimental satellites benefit from mission operations services offered by Major Tom. In the case of the NOAA-18 satellite, this initiative with Azure Orbital demonstrated technical feasibility of using the cloud to successfully connect with legacy software, designed over 15 years ago. Further, it demonstrates how mission operations through the cloud allow satellite operators to take full advantage of commercial ground stations as a service.
Steve Kitay, Senior Director, Azure Space at Microsoft Corp. said, “Our work with NOAA and Xplore is driving innovation to virtualize satellite ground station operations in the cloud. Empowering agencies to tap into these newest commercial technologies is unlocking new levels of resiliency and global capacity for critical mission operations”
Xplore’s Major Tom service offers a scalable platform with powerful satellite mission operations and planning tools. The cloud-based software allows operators to perform ground station scheduling, satellite tasking and telemetry monitoring, saving money and time on operations. It provides the ability to integrate and control ground segment applications and services, and further de-risks mission operations with features that include out-of-the-box ground network integrations, data analytics, real-time dashboards and a customizable commanding API.
Beyond Gravity launches its own start-up program “Launchpad
The international space supplier Beyond Gravity is launching its own start-up program “Launchpad” in October 2022. The incubator supports young start-ups and their promising ideas around space technology. In the process, teams are developed from an early stage to an initial investment opportunity. The application period runs until mid-August 2022.
From state-owned enterprise to start-up – Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space) has set itself this maxim as its goal. With its own eight-week start-up program, Beyond Gravity now offers young start- ups direct access to the international space community. André Wall, CEO of Beyond Gravity explains, “It is our vision to advance humanity and enable exploration of the world and beyond. I am very much looking forward to shaping the future of space travel together with selected startups. “
Application deadline until mid-August – start in October
The three focal points of the incubator are space technology itself, the optimization of value chains, as well as the human factor in general, because we believe that people make the difference. The first program will start in October 2022. The application period runs until mid-August. The three to five selected teams will be accompanied step by step in an eight-week program at Beyond Gravity’s headquarters in Zurich from the idea to seed funding maturity. Finally, a jury of internal and external experts selects the winning projects. Stefan Knoche, Director Transformation at Beyond Gravity explains: “All entrepreneurs who are still in an early phase can apply, including those who do not yet have a product on the market.”
More information
Contact for information about the incubator “Launchpad”: Stefan Knoche, Director Transformation; stefan.knoche@beyondgravity.com; +41 79 932 86 99 or www.beyondgravity.com/incubator
Contact for media: Clemens Gähwiler, Media Spokesperson, Beyond Gravity; clemens.gaehwiler@beyondgravity.com; +41 76 319 28 58
Beyond Gravity, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, is the first startup to combine agility, speed and innovation with decades of experience and proven quality. Approximately 1600 employees at 12 locations in six countries (Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Germany, USA and Finland) develop and manufacture products for satellites and launch vehicles with the goal of advancing humanity and enabling exploration of the world and beyond. Beyond Gravity is the preferred supplier of structures for all types of launch vehicles and a leader in selected satellite products and constellations in the New Space sector. In 2021, the company generated revenues of approximately CHF 319 million. More information at: www.beyondgravity.com
