The space industry, from exploration, to the launching and maintaining of satellites, scientific analysis of climate change, the prediction of natural disasters and more, generates vast quantities of data that needs to be analysed and processed to be of use. Using traditional systems, this process could take days. Thanks to advances in cloud technology, this could be cut down to minutes, speeding up the rate at which decisions can be taken – decisions that often need to be taken in a matter of moments.
Speed is of the essence
As the scope of space missions increases, so does the quantity of data gathered, according to Clint Crosier, Director, Aerospace and Satellite, Amazon Web Services (AWS). Organisations across countless industries are turning to cloud services to store, analyse, send, and process their data, and the space sector is no different.
“As space missions become increasingly more complex, we see organisations applying cloud technologies to accelerate experimentation, expand automation, and deliver deeper insights,” says Crosier.
Cloud services are changing the way the space industry operates. In the UAE, AWS is working withtheMohamed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to gather data from the Hope Probe Mars mission. Once transmitted to Earth, the data is processed and analysed on AWS to allow researchers to study the red planet’s atmosphere and its layers. “What makes this mission different from others is that it is fully automated. This means that the multi-stage process of receiving, validating, and indexing raw instrument data, and processing it to generate a higher level of scientific products, can all be accomplished in less than 20 minutes, compared to 48 hours for other missions not being operated on the cloud,” says Crosier.
In addition to supporting space missions, the cloud is also instrumental in enabling more efficient space traffic management. The Earth’s orbit is becoming increasingly crowded with government and commercial satellites, as well as other problematic space debris. Currently, there are more than 2,600 active satellites orbiting the planet, with the number expected to grow as more organizations invest in launching Low Earth Orbit satellites. This presents an opportunity for technology players to develop innovations that leverage data and the cloud to track movements and locations of satellites and inform operators when corrective action is needed.
“The cloud is also opening up new capabilities for digital modelling, digital simulation, and engineering. The process of designing and testing new spacecraft and satellites is a time-consuming and rigorous process. But with high-performance computing and digital modelling, organisations can accelerate this process,” explains Crosier.
Space for everyone
Space is increasingly emerging as a more accessible sector, something that Crosier believes that this is just the beginning, “This is an extremely exciting time to be in the space industry. Now, organisations of all sizes – from all over the world – are launching more commercial and government satellites and human missions into orbit than ever before,” he says.
According to Crosier, the incredible growth in the industry is also creating new opportunities for partners and customers. “We see that space companies are starting to realise that when it comes to data management, the most effective way to gain fast insights, get answers, and deliver those answers to decision-makers is with advanced cloud technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. It’s becoming clear that as we are finding ways to work more effectively in space, it is improving how we live and work here on Earth,” he says.
Looking ahead, startups will play key roles in driving innovation and accelerating progress in the space industry. In line with this, UAE’s MBRSC has teamed up with AWS to launch a space-tech pitch challenge for startups to develop a product, solution, or application that supports the UAE’s environmental initiatives. For example, the Palm Trees Detection Challenge is an initiative that aims to reduce the labour needed to map palm trees through the use of AWS’ deep learning systems to automatically detect trees using aerial photography. “We believe that startups provide a great source of innovation that can make a big impact on the future of the industry. AWS is committed to helping startups succeed and shape the future,” says Crosier.
The space industry is undergoing a massive transformation and with initiatives such as the Hope Probe, there’s huge potential to discover new breakthroughs in the study of the universe. “The Hope Probe Mission is inspirational. Already we’re seeing that the scientific community is gaining a great understanding of Mars from the data that the probe is collecting. Their work will provide important insights about the Martian atmosphere, as well as lessons that will improve our understanding of the origins of our own planet,” says Crosier.
