It’s getting crowded in the skies. Companies are busy launching small satellites into low-earth orbit on a weekly schedule. SpaceX alone had more than 1,800 birds in low Earth orbit at the end of November 2021, and experts from Euroconsult estimate that nearly 17,000 satellites will be launched over the coming decade.
Most of them are lightweight, designed to provide new communications services and gather data on traffic flows, methane leaks, deforestation or other metrics tied to climate change. A lot of things can go wrong up there.
That’s why satellite operators rely on an elaborate and resilient IT architecture to control and manage their devices from fabrication to space. Equally important, they need to securely downlink the data that sensors and cameras collect to the ground for analysis.
I’ve had the privilege to work with quite a few of those specialized providers, helping them make sure their IT architecture doesn’t crash and burn. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things that apply to any business, even if they never intend to leave Earth. So, let me count down the five key lessons from space-proofing IT that will strengthen any terrestrial operation now on Forbes.
