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Amazon’s Project Kuiper Set for First Launch
Amazon has announced the launch date for its inaugural set of Kuiper internet satellites, marking a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to provide broadband services through a satellite constellation.
Scheduled to lift off on April 9 at 12 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will carry the first two demonstration satellites. This event will be broadcast live on ULA’s website, allowing viewers to witness this critical moment in the development of Amazon’s satellite internet project.
Project Kuiper, initiated in 2019, aspires to establish a network comprising over 3,000 satellites to deliver high-speed internet. While Amazon has allocated approximately $10 billion for the project, industry analysts suggest that the total cost might rise to around $20 billion before it becomes commercially viable, as noted in a recent analysis from GeekWire.
In October 2023, Amazon conducted a successful test, launching two prototype satellites. Originally, the company had aimed to deploy its first operational satellites in the previous year; however, delays occurred as ULA prioritized two missions for the U.S. Space Force.
Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Kuiper, emphasized the importance of this upcoming mission, stating, “We’ve conducted extensive ground testing to prepare for this first mission, but there are certain insights that can only be gained in flight. This will be our first opportunity to operate our final satellite design and deploy multiple satellites simultaneously.”
Project Kuiper faces competition from established low Earth orbit satellite providers. Elon Musk’s Starlink leads the market with over 7,000 satellites, alongside other contenders like SoftBank’s OneWeb and newer companies such as China’s SpaceSail.
The initiative targets consumers who struggle with inadequate internet connectivity, while also appealing to government entities and businesses. To access the service, users will need to acquire terminals capable of transmitting and receiving signals from the Kuiper satellites.
In addition to these competitive pressures, Amazon is under a deadline imposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which mandates that the company must have at least half of its planned satellite constellation, totaling 1,618 satellites, in orbit by July 2026. To meet this timeline, Amazon has secured over 80 rocket launches from several providers, including ULA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin, the latter being founded by Amazon’s own Jeff Bezos.
WATCH: Inside Amazon’s satellite factory
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