In the coming days and weeks, Amazon aims to collect “real-world data from space” as it progresses with launching the rest of its Kuiper satellite constellation, as mentioned in a blog post. The company sees on-orbit testing as crucial in developing their satellite design and gaining valuable insights.
Rajeev Badyal, Kuiper’s vice president of technology, acknowledged the significance of this mission, stating, “This is Amazon’s first time putting satellites into space, and we’re going to learn an incredible amount regardless of how the mission unfolds.”
With an investment of over $10 billion in the Kuiper network, Amazon plans to launch its first production satellites by mid-2022 and initiate initial testing with commercial customers by the end of 2024. The company has a license from the Federal Communications Commission requiring the deployment of half of the 3,236 satellites in its constellation by July 2026. (It’s worth noting that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, and the interim Post CEO, Patty Stonesifer, is a member of Amazon’s board.)
The primary goal of Amazon’s Kuiper network is to connect rural and remote areas lacking access to broadband. The system works by transmitting internet signals from the satellites to small ground terminals.
Amazon considers SpaceX’s Starlink service as the main competitor to its Kuiper network. Despite Starlink’s rapid growth and implementation in various countries, it will take several years for Amazon to fully develop its constellation and provide actual competition to SpaceX.
Amazon faces both a time constraint and challenges with its launch contracts for the Kuiper network. The company has entrusted Blue Origin’s New Glenn, ULA’s Vulcan, and Arianespace’s Ariane 6 rockets to carry the majority of its satellites into space. However, these rockets have experienced numerous delays and have yet to be launched. It’s important to note that Blue Origin is a company owned by Jeff Bezos.
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