Amazon’s Two Satellites to Compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink
Written by Sanjay Kumar
News Highlights
- Amazon launches two satellites to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink, targeting global internet coverage from space.
- Project Kuiper promises affordable broad band to underserved areas with a constellation of over 3,200 satellites.
- Controversy surrounds Elon Musk’s Starlink as Ukraine reveals service denial during a military operation.
In a bold move to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink service in the global space-based internet race, Amazon successfully launched two satellites on Friday (October 6). The historic liftoff took place at Cape Canaveral in Florida at 2:06 pm local time (6:06 pm GMT).
The launch was carried out by the United Launch Alliance (ULA), an industrial group jointly operated by aerospace giant’s Boeing and Lockheed Martin, according to a report from AFP.
Amazon’s Founder, Jeff Bezos, shared that Project Kuiper aims to revolutionize internet connectivity by delivering fast and affordable broadband to underserved and unserved communities worldwide. The project involves deploying a constellation of over 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Technology for Project Kuiper, emphasized the rigorous testing undertaken in their labs, highlighting the importance of on-orbit testing in ensuring the success of their satellite design.
Amazon has committed a staggering $10 billion to Project Kuiper and has already secured 77 heavy-lift launch contracts with commercial providers, including Arianespace, ULA, and Bezos-owned Blue Origin.
According to Amazon’s plans, the first operational satellites under the Kuiper project are scheduled for launch in early 2024, with initial tests involving customers expected by the end of the following year.
During Friday’s test, the primary objectives included establishing communication links between the satellites and Earth, deploying their solar panels, and verifying the proper functioning of all onboard instruments, as reported by AFP.
Amazon’s ambitious initiative is poised to provide internet access to some of the most remote and underserved regions globally, including areas affected by conflict or natural disasters.
This significant development comes in the wake of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which launched the first batch of its extensive Starlink satellite constellation, consisting of over 3,700 operational satellites, in 2019, making it a major player in the field.
Notably, Musk’s ownership of Starlink recently stirred controversy in Ukraine when it was revealed that he refused to activate the service during a planned attack by Kyiv forces on Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet last year.
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