Amazon will start implementing its satellite internet plan, Project Kuiper, next week.
Amazon plans to launch 27 satellites next week as part of its Project Kuiper mission, with the goal of creating a constellation of over 3,000 internet satellites in orbit.
Satellite internet has emerged as a new option for mobile connectivity, with SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, currently dominating the market thanks to its Starlink satellite constellation. This network has established agreements with airlines to offer in-flight Wi-Fi and has partnered with T-Mobile to enhance mobile device connectivity. Starlink satellites have proven their utility even in conflict zones. However, they will soon face significant competition from Amazon, which plans to launch its first batch of 27 satellites on April 9 as part of the "KA-01" mission of Project Kuiper. This will be the first of several large-scale deployments aimed at creating a constellation of 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit.
Amazon has indicated that it has secured the launch of more than 80 satellites for the initial phase of its network. Like SpaceX's Starlink system, Project Kuiper promises to deliver high-speed internet with low latency virtually anywhere in the world, with the intention of starting its services by the end of 2025. The launch will be conducted using the most powerful configuration of ULA's Atlas V rocket, which features six large engines. In the coming years, the Atlas V will carry out more than a dozen satellite launch missions, while the Vulcan Centaur rocket will handle a total of 38 launches.
Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Project Kuiper at Amazon, stated that this will be the first time the final design of the satellites is implemented and the first time so many will be deployed at once. He emphasized that regardless of the mission's development, this only marks the beginning of their journey, with all the necessary elements to learn and adapt in future launches.
In comparison, SpaceX has already launched thousands of Starlink satellites and provides internet services in over one hundred countries. In addition to its consumer-oriented business, the company has secured contracts with governments and the military, taking on responsibilities for NASA missions, including the Artemis project. Since 2023, SpaceX has been testing prototypes of satellites that feature a unique dielectric mirror film that reflects sunlight and minimizes interference with ground-based telescope observations. Concerns about the visual pollution of the night sky, as well as the congestion caused by satellites and other man-made materials in orbit, have increased among the scientific community.
Additionally, Amazon has introduced the terminals that will be used by the first customers of its satellite internet service through Project Kuiper. This service, similar to SpaceX's, will primarily focus on providing access to communities that currently lack connectivity or are underserved by existing internet technologies.