Amazon plans to deploy a constellation of three,236 satellites to supply high-speed web to distant and underserved areas
Amazon took a serious step ahead in its plans to construct a world satellite tv for pc web community on Sunday, efficiently launching its first 27 operational satellites for Venture Kuiper. The satellites have been carried into low Earth orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral House Power Station in Florida.
The launch marks the start of Amazon’s try to problem SpaceX’s Starlink, the present chief in satellite-based broadband. Venture Kuiper plans to deploy a constellation of three,236 satellites to supply high-speed web to distant and underserved areas. Beneath Federal Communications Fee (FCC) rules, Amazon is required to launch half of the community — greater than 1,600 satellites — by mid-2026.
The 27 satellites deployed Sunday type a part of Amazon’s Kuiper 1 mission, and preliminary reviews indicated that the spacecraft have efficiently communicated with floor management and are working as anticipated. Amazon beforehand carried out two prototype satellite tv for pc launches final October to check {hardware} and communications techniques.
“We’ve accomplished step one towards deploying the Kuiper constellation,” mentioned Rajeev Badyal, Venture Kuiper’s vp of know-how, in an announcement.
In April, Badyal referred to as Kuiper satellites a number of the most superior ever constructed. “And each launch is a chance so as to add extra capability and protection to our community,” he continued. “We’ve executed in depth testing on the bottom to organize for this primary mission, however there are some issues you may solely be taught in flight, and this would be the first time we’ve flown our last satellite tv for pc design and the primary time we’ve deployed so many satellites directly.”
He added: “Regardless of how the mission unfolds, that is simply the beginning of our journey, and we now have all of the items in place to be taught and adapt as we put together to launch many times over the approaching years.”
The Kuiper venture, backed by greater than $10 billion in funding, enters a market that has turn out to be more and more aggressive. SpaceX’s Starlink service presently operates over 7,000 satellites and claims greater than 4.5 million customers worldwide. Amazon’s launch comes years after Starlink started providing service, elevating questions on how rapidly Kuiper can scale and seize market share.
To speed up deployment, Amazon has lined up 83 future rocket launches by agreements with ULA, Arianespace and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. The corporate additionally signed a launch cope with SpaceX, though particulars of that association haven’t been disclosed publicly.
Amazon plans to start providing customer support by the top of 2025. It has developed a number of shopper terminals, together with a typical mannequin anticipated to value underneath $400, with the aim of holding service reasonably priced. The corporate has not but introduced pricing for its broadband plans.
Sunday’s launch additionally highlights a rising space of pressure between satellite tv for pc operators and the scientific group. Giant constellations have raised issues about mild air pollution and the influence on astronomical observations. In response, Amazon mentioned it has outfitted its Kuiper satellites with anti-reflective coatings to reduce their visibility from Earth.
The Venture Kuiper deployment is anticipated to ramp up over the subsequent two years. The corporate mentioned it might proceed to validate satellite tv for pc efficiency through the coming months earlier than starting industrial service.
The launch was initially scheduled for earlier in April however was delayed by a technical subject with floor gear. Sunday’s flight was the primary Atlas V mission for Kuiper and one of many last flights for the workhorse rocket, which is being retired as ULA transitions to its next-generation Vulcan Centaur car.
Whereas Amazon is now starting to place {hardware} in orbit, the corporate faces a compressed timeline and important logistical hurdles. Along with manufacturing 1000’s of satellites, Amazon should scale its floor community and full regulatory approvals in varied international locations — all whereas Starlink continues to increase and new rivals like OneWeb and Telesat additionally vie for world web prospects.
Nonetheless, Amazon executives have emphasised that the corporate’s large cloud enterprise, Amazon Net Companies (AWS), may give it a bonus in linking Kuiper to enterprise and authorities prospects along with households.
Amazon mentioned that it could launch 5 further Kuiper missions this 12 months.
