Elon Musk-run SpaceX has announced a new partnership to bolster the use of its satellite Internet connectivity. The US-based aerospace manufacturer has collaborated with Google Cloud to deliver data, cloud services, and applications to its enterprise customers.
Cloud services are often required by organisations having broad footprints, like public sector agencies, businesses with presences at the network edge, or those operating in rural or remote areas. Google Cloud will now try to leverage Starlink’s high-speed broadband Internet for its infrastructure to support such activities for its enterprise customers.
Under the partnership, SpaceX will locate Starlink ground stations within Google data centre properties. The company’s more than 1,500 low-Earth-orbit satellites will then enable secure, low-latency delivery of data through Google Cloud.
“Google Cloud’s high-capacity private network will support the delivery of Starlink’s global satellite Internet service, bringing businesses and consumers seamless connectivity to the cloud and Internet,” Google stated in a recent blog.
For those unaware, Starlink is a satellite network by SpaceX that uses thousands of small satellites deployed in the low Earth orbit (LEO). These satellites periodically communicate with designated ground transceivers to enable data transfers at high speed.
The main aim of Starlink is to enable Internet coverage in the remote areas of Earth, where land-based Internet infrastructure cannot be built.
Starlink has started delivering initial beta service internationally and will continue its expansion to near-global coverage in 2021. For now, Starlink is available to a limited number of users per coverage area. All future orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.
SpaceX’s collaboration with Google Cloud for the utilisation of Starlink constellation will lay a solid foundation for its future endeavours. Though it plans to enable Internet connectivity to customers across the globe, enterprises are a crucial part of business for any Internet service provider and SpaceX will welcome its new foray into that segment of the industry. (Agency)
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