Amazon wants to launch the first Internet satellites into space

In addition to Elon Musk’s Starlink, Amazon is also working flat out on its own satellite internet. At the beginning of 2023, the US company wants to launch the first prototypes of Project Kuiper into space.

Amazon aims to bring fast, affordable broadband to underserved and underserved communities around the world with its Kuiper project. for that At the beginning of 2023, the first two satellites will go into space start.

Satellite internet: Project Kuiper launches into space

The two prototypes, Kuipersat-1 and Kuipersat-2, will be launched early next year on the Vulcan Centaur rocket United Launch Alliance. With this launch, the company wants to gain “practical experience of working together”, because the United Launch Alliance and Amazon want to launch Internet satellites into space in 47 joint launches.

The rocket is scheduled to launch from the Cape Canaveral Cosmodrome in Florida. In addition to the Project Kuiper prototypes, it will also have a NASA-funded spacecraft on board.

The prototypes are intended to provide “real data from space”. Amazon then wants to use these to supplement the results of laboratory tests and simulations.

Lessons learned from the mission will help us complete the design, deployment and operational plans for our commercial satellite system.

Project Kuiper: What else could stand in the way of a launch?

Before the prototypes can start, however, they must first be completed. That should happen later this year: “Our prototype satellites will be completed later this year,” explains Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Technology for the Kuiper project.

And there is still work to be done on the Vulcan Centaur rocket as well, like the United Launch Alliance on Wednesday in a press release explained. Accordingly, the rocket is expected to be fully assembled in November. All tests should be completed by December.

Satellite Internet: Both sides are under time pressure

The merger of Amazon and the United Launch Alliance has according to the Washington Post also reasons of time. Because the United Launch Alliance in particular is under time pressure.

She has yet to test-fly the Vulcan ahead of her first scheduled Department of Defense mission. The mission is scheduled for the end of 2023, before that the reliability of the rocket has to be proven in two launches

And there are also delays in the Kuiper project at Amazon. Because the first prototype launch was actually planned for the fourth quarter of 2022. This should be completed with another rocket from the company ABL Space Systems.

In addition, Amazon wants to launch a total of 3,236 satellites. To get the license from the FCC not to gamble away, Amazon needs to launch half of those satellites by 2026.

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