Just a few months ago Amazon announced a new product, AWS Ground Station, which will allow companies to rent access to satellite data.

Former CEO of the European Space Agency, Jean-Jacques Dordain, believes there's a reason Internet giants are all so interested in space.

Amazon is far from the only tech giant to show an interest in the sector, with Facebook also looking into laser communication satellites.

In addition to Amazon's ventures into bookstores, grocery stores, and healthcare, it seems the e-commerce giant is casting its net even further afield with plans for space, too.

Just a few months ago, the e-commerce giant announced a new product called AWS Ground Station, which will allow companies to rent access to satellite data.

The decision to move into the space sector certainly wasn't one made at random.

Former CEO of the European Space Agency, Jean-Jacques Dordain, believes the reason internet giants are all so interested in space is the potential it holds for legally collecting and sharing data worldwide.

Now an adviser to Luxembourg's government on matters relating to space, Dordain added that Internet giants are also focused on space due to its potential to connect individuals and networks.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg is also looking into designing laser communication satellites. Christophe Morin/IP3/Getty Images

"Space is very interesting to the defence sector," he said, "because defence begins with reliable information and satellites that listen, observe, measure, and transmit. That's why defence is the key focus of all the world's major space powers today, with the notable exception of Europe."

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With AWS Ground Station, the e-commerce giant is looking to offer its clients the opportunity to rent access to satellite ground stations in the same way as it rents access to its data centers.

This will ensure companies that don't have the financial resources to build and operate their own satellite infrastructures will be able to access on-demand satellite services.

Amazon is far from being the only one out of techs "Big Four" showing interest in the sector; according to IEEE Spectrum, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg is considering designing two laser communication satellites too.

This technology would be incredibly helpful to Facebook, as it would be able to support a much higher data rate and would be far less vulnerable to being intercepted or hacked.