Cisco's (CSCO) Webex Platform Being Utilized for Space Mission

Cisco CSCO recently announced that its video collaboration and conferencing platform, Webex, would be utilized for a critical space mission. A special custom-built state-of-the-art version of the Webex platform will be part of Callisto technology demonstration payload.

Callisto will be integrated with NASA’s Orion spacecraft, which will be used for the space agency’s ambitious unmanned Artemis I moon mission. At present, Artemis I slated for takeoff in early 2022.

Callisto’s hardware and software development is a joint effort by Lockheed Martin, Cisco and Amazon AMZN. Callisto will explore the utility of both Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa and Webex platform to test next-generation deep space commercial video communications and collaboration technology.

The special version of Webex will be able to connect with NASA’s Deep Space Network to facilitate video conferencing by overcoming challenges like atmospheric troubles, distance and space clatter, noted Cisco. 

Cisco’s custom-built Webex is connected to a highly-advanced Artificial Intelligence-backed Webex Desk Pro device. Webex Desk Pro will facilitate dynamic content-sharing as well as the testing of video interactions with technology aboard the Orion, added Cisco. Now, Webex Desk Pro is located at NASA’s Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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Opportunities Galore for Webex

The continuation of remote work set up and the adoption of hybrid work model, globally, triggered by the pandemic, are driving demand for cloud-based video conferencing, teleconferencing as well as workspace communication and collaboration solutions.

The global video conferencing market is forecast to witness a CAGR of 11.4% between 2021 and 2028 and reach $9.95 billion, per Grand View Research data.

Cisco is trying to gain a larger share of this booming market. In October 2021, at WebexOne, Cisco unveiled new features for Webex to provide a seamless experience for hybrid workforce. Back then, the company stated that it had incorporated more than 1000 new features into Webex in the past 12 months.

In October 2021, Cisco also rolled out Webex Hologram, a new hybrid work collaboration tool, which integrates Webex meeting features with 3D holograms. The company also partnered with Bang & Olufsen to create the Bang & Olufsen Cisco 980 headset designed for hybrid work set up.

However, higher expenses toward product development and stiff competition from the likes of Microsoft’s MSFT Teams App and Zoom Communications ZM are a concern.

Microsoft is gaining from an expanding user base of different applications, including Teams owing to rapidly evolving workspace environment. The company noted that Microsoft Teams has 138 customers with more than 100,000 users of Teams and more than 3,000 clients with over 10,000 users in the last reported quarter.

Zoom Video is certainly the biggest gainer of the pandemic-triggered remote and hybrid work trends. For the third quarter of 2021, the company reported revenue growth of 35.2% to $1.05 billion on a year over year basis.

In the last reported quarter, Zoom had nearly 512,100 customers (with more than 10 employees), increasing 18% year over year. The company had 2,507 customers with more than $100,000 in trailing 12-month revenues, up about 94% year over year.  Zoom’s trailing 12-month net dollar-expansion rate in customers with more than 10 employees was above 130% for the 14th consecutive quarter.

At present, Cisco carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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