Airbus and Astrocast extend collaboration for satellite IoT

Airbus and Astrocast extend collaboration for satellite IoT
by Robert Schreiber
Lausanne, Switzerland (SPX) Jul 26, 2023
Airbus Defence and Space, the renowned aerospace industry leader, and Astrocast, the prominent satellite IoT operator, recently announced an extension of their partnership aimed at further developing and enhancing satellite Internet of Things (SatIoT) technology. This alliance will empower Astrocast to heighten its network capacity and offer reliable and affordable SatIoT solutions to its clientele.

The Airbus-Astrocast partnership dates back to 2017 and has been a significant factor in Astrocast's growth trajectory. This collaboration has facilitated the effective development of Astrocast's communication protocol and modem software stack, critical elements of its wider SatIoT technology. The latest extension reaffirms the partnership's success, with Airbus offering continued extensive support to Astrocast, specifically focusing on the improvement of bandwidth and the quality of service.

Astrocast's SatIoT connectivity has garnered substantial market recognition and popularity since its commercial launch in 2022. The beneficiaries of these services include, among others, the EU's CiRROCCO and XGain initiatives, Avirtech, Digitanimal, and ArrowSpot. As the partnership with Airbus strengthens, Astrocast seeks to build on their mutual technological triumphs and elevate the SatIoT bandwidth and quality of service for all customers. Consequently, it promises improvements in data transmission capacity, efficiency, latency, and security, aiding clients in further augmenting their operational efficiency.

Francois Gaullier, SVP Telecommunications and Navigation Systems - Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space, expressed his optimism about the extended collaboration. He emphasized that this partnership upholds Airbus's endorsement of Astrocast's technological journey and its leadership in the SatIoT sector. The partnership also sets the stage for potential integration with the future 5G NTN IoT communications standards currently under consideration for LEO constellations. He further stated, "Astrocast is not only poised to address these challenges, its roadmap is designed to take them head on for the industry. Therefore, we're excited about working together and achieving more success."

In the same vein, Fabien Jordan, CEO of Astrocast, expressed his excitement about deepening the partnership with Airbus. He stated that this collaboration bolsters Astrocast's commitment to providing the most reliable and efficient SatIoT connectivity solutions on the market.

The extended alliance between Airbus and Astrocast fortifies the strategic technology collaboration between the two firms and promises significant benefits to their customers and the SatIoT sector. It stands as a testament to Astrocast's customer-centric approach and their continuous efforts to refine core technologies. This partnership also underscores Airbus's strong belief in Astrocast's capabilities, as they jointly push the envelope in satellite IoT technology.