Amazon is moving ahead with its internet satellite initiative, the tech giant announced on April 2. Project Kuiper, a batch of 27 satellites set to launch on April 9, will compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
First satellite launch will demonstrate Amazon’s space capability
Project Kuiper’s satellites will provide internet access to virtually any location on the planet, Amazon said. The company initially signed the launch deal in 2022.
On April 9, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket will carry the 27 satellites from Cape Canaveral in Florida to a 280-mile low Earth orbit. This will be Amazon’s first full complete deployment of internet satellites. The company plans to eventually deploy a total of 3,200 satellites in batches of dozens at a time.
“We’ve done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight, and this will be the first time we’ve flown our final satellite design and the first time we’ve deployed so many satellites at once,” said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Project Kuiper, in a press release.
Two prototype satellites were tested in October 2023 and successfully enabled a two-way video call over satellite internet.
SEE: Amazon is among the tech companies shifting from a desirable, perk-heavy company culture to an environment of personal pressure and political upheaval.
To prevent satellites from interfering with astronomers’ work, Amazon coated them with a dielectric mirror film to mask their reflected light.
The launch is a milestone for the Atlas V; Project Kuiper marks the heaviest payload the rocket has ever flown.
Future Project Kuiper launches will use a variety of vehicles, including the Atlas V, ULA’s Vulcan Centaur, and rockets from Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.
Internet satellite competitors woo the government market
Satellite internet service from Starlink, today’s major provider, has touched over five million internet users across 125 countries, according to Reuters. T-Mobile has made Starlink its default connectivity in the U.S. for places without any other wireless coverage. Satellite internet has been pivotal for government, military, and intelligence operations.
While Amazon doesn’t sell Project Kuiper routers yet, its web services infrastructure could eventually integrate into space-based communications.
