2023-12-04 13:00:08
Thanks to its constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit, SpaceX is able to provide fast, low-latency internet connection to users who do not have access to fiber at home, via its Starlink service. And currently, it is preparing to offer a new service which will allow you to connect via these satellites directly to your smartphone. However, this market is of interest to other groups, including Amazon.
The e-commerce giant has an ongoing project called Kuiper which, like Starlink, will provide internet connection via satellites in low Earth orbit. But to better compete with Starlink, Amazon finally decided to collaborate with its creator, SpaceX. Indeed, Elon Musk’s company not only provides a connection via satellite, it also offers launch services.
And in a press release, Amazon announces that it will work with Starlink to launch the satellites of its Kuiper project. “Amazon has signed a contract with SpaceX for three Falcon 9 launches to support deployment plans for Project Kuiper, Amazon’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network”we can read in this press release.
Debuts in 2024
In this same press release, Amazon explains that the agreements signed with Arianespace, Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance (ULA) already provide sufficient capacity to launch the majority of its satellites. But the agreement with SpaceX will increase this capacity. The missions are planned for mid-2025. In any case, the announcement is quite surprising, to the extent that there is a rivalry between Jeff Bezos (founder and former CEO of Amazon) and Elon Musk.
Otherwise, regarding the Kuiper project, Amazon says it is on track. Recently, the e-commerce giant launched two prototypes, which made it possible to test and validate the design of its satellites. Amazon is now preparing production as well as deployment from the first quarter of 2024. And from the second half of 2024, Amazon should have enough satellites in orbit to start a pilot of its service with a few customers.
As for SpaceX, it has decided to increase the frequency of its launches, in part to strengthen the Starlink constellation, in preparation for the launch of the new mobile service.
- Amazon is preparing a constellation called Kuiper which will compete with Starlink
- While it already works with Arianespace, Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance (ULA), Amazon also signs with SpaceX (its future competitor) to launch its satellites
- Kuiper could have enough satellites to start a pilot with customers as early as 2024
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