Iridium, Amazon Unveil Plans for Satellite IoT System
Jeff Bezos Eyeing A Space-Based Internet Of Things Wholly Owned By Amazon In The Future
https://www.trunews.com/stream/iridium-amazon-unveil-plans-for-satellite-iot-system
Satellite communications network Iridium has unveiled a plan in collaboration with Amazon Web Services to provide an Internet of Things network for companies with access to locations previously inaccessible to the physical Internet. The new service, which will be called CloudConnect, will build on Iridium’s existing IoT network by joining AWS’s Partner Network, providing a new options for its customers. According to a report last week by GeekWire: “More and more Iridium customers are using cloud services as the basis of their IT infrastructure, and wanted a method for delivering cloud-based workloads to Iridium devices, said Tim Last, vice president and general manager of the IoT Line of Business at Iridium. That’s especially true for its small-and-medium size customers, but it extends up into larger equipment companies like Caterpillar that are using Iridium for vehicle maintenance diagnostics around the world.”
Currently, Iridium operates its satellite constellation on its own, but relies on SpaceX for getting them into orbit. A single Falcon 9 rocket is able to put 10 Iridium satellites into orbit. AWS has reportedly begun hiring engineers with satellite experience, ostensibly with this new partnership in mind. And, with CEO Jeff Bezo’s open interest in space through Blue Origin, the likelihood of a space-based IoT wholly owned by Amazon cannot be out of the question.