The first batch of Amazon’s internet satellites hitched a ride to the low-Earth-orbit on Monday. Amazon internet satellites are the latest entry in the mega constellation market becoming a competitor to SpaceX’s thousands of Starlinks.
Amazon satellites are marking the biggest stride yet in the tech giant’s efforts to join a race to blanket the planet in connectivity beamed from space. Amazon’s Kuiper broadband internet constellation’s first 27 satellites were launched into space from Florida on Monday.
Amazon internet satellites, Project Kuiper
The Amazon internet satellites are the first launch of 3,236 that Amazon plans to send into low-Earth orbit for Project Kuiper. Amazon has spent $10 billion in an effort to unveil it in 2019 to beam broadband internet globally competing SpaceX’s Starlink.
Starlink and Project Kuiper are both part of an effort to transform global internet infrastructure. The networks aim to provide access to remote corners of the world where traditional broadband, which relies on underground cables, is lacking.
Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites, named after the frigid fringes of our solar system beyond Neptune. Once released in orbit, the satellites will eventually reach an altitude of nearly 400 miles.
Project Kuiper vs Starlink
The latest satellites also are coated with a mirror film designed to scatter reflected sunlight in an attempt to accommodate astronomers.
Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos now runs his own rocket company, Blue Origin. Amazon aims to put more than 3,200 of these satellites into orbit to provide fast, affordable broadband service around the globe.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX already has launched more than 8,000 Starlinks since 2019. The company marked its 250th Starlink launch Sunday night. More than 7,000 Starlinks are still in orbit some 300-plus miles above Earth.
The European-based OneWeb satellite constellation numbers in the hundreds in an even higher orbit.
Amazon broadband satellites
Rajeev Badyal, the project’s vice president said, “There are some things you can only learn in flight” despite extensive testing on the ground. He added, “No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey,
Amazon’s Kuiper satellite it’s biggest bet
Kuiper is Amazon’s biggest bet under way cometing against Starlink as well as global telecommunications providers like AT&T and T-Mobile. The company has positioned the service as a boon to rural
The company faces a deadline set by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to deploy half its constellation, 1,618 satellites, by mid-2026, but its slower start means Amazon is likely to seek an extension, analysts say.
Amazon’s foray into space with Project Kuiper
Amazon’s Project Kuiper is an ambitious foray into space, with a late start in a market dominated by SpaceX. However, Amazon executives see the company’s deep consumer product experience and established cloud computing business that Kuiper will connect with as an edge over Starlink.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon Executive Chairman is confident that Kuiper can compete with Starlink, stated as per a report, “there’s insatiable demand” for internet.
“There’s room for lots of winners there. I predict Starlink will continue to be successful, and I predict Kuiper will be successful as well,” he said.
