In the not-so-distant future, accessing the internet from space will be easier. The possibility is available for some at this time. One notable name in satellite internet space is Starlink. Viasat and Hughesnet are other prominent players in the game. Another company hoping to add its name to the list is Amazon through its venture called Project Kuiper.
What’s Project Kuiper all about?
E-commerce giant Amazon joined the satellite internet space in 2018 by sharing its plans to launch 3,000 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), a part of space that stretches 2,000 kilometers above Earth.
The project’s satellites will orbit close to home, in the middle of 590 and 630 kilometers. “Our satellites’ proximity to the surface of the Earth means they can deliver fast service to customers, making Project Kuiper connectivity effective for uses like video calls, gaming, and high-definition streaming,” Amazon states on its website.
The company projects internet services from Project Kuiper will reach billions of people in underserved areas across the globe, offering an alternative to traditional wireless networks on the ground. This can especially be helpful as some communities are located in hard-to-reach areas, making it difficult and costly to install fiber.
Amazon’s other target customers include schools, hospitals, and government agencies. The company says its satellite network uses its cloud-computing platform, Amazon Web Services, for secure operations. “This design will allow Project Kuiper to offer our customers flexible and secure end-to-end connectivity services to help them connect people, facilities, and equipment,” the company wrote in a November 2023 blog post.
Source: Amazon
Amazon’s many, many satellites
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Amazon regulatory approval in 2020. The license imposes Amazon to a July 2026 deadline to deploy half of its satellite constellation.
Project Kuiper’s design includes 3,232 satellites in total. Amazon launched its first satellites (two prototypes) in October 2023, completing its first two-way video call soon after. In May, the company announced plans to deorbit the satellites.
It will start to deploy its full-scale constellation (a group of satellites that work together) in the fourth quarter of this year via an Atlas V rocket. While this is a delay from the original launch planned for the first half of 2024, the company says it remains on track to offer services to customers in 2025.
Amazon has agreements to launch its satellites through commercial providers, including Arianespace, SpaceX, and Blue Origin. However, Project Kuiper isn’t part of Blue Origin. Kuiper is an initiative under the Amazon brand that also brought the Kindle, Echo, Ring, and other devices to the masses. Blue Origin is a separate aerospace company under Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Source: Amazon
Here’s what regular consumers can expect
Amazon says the project is designed to “balance performance and affordability” and promises to offer several options to customers. While we don’t know the specifics, Amazon has released a couple of helpful hints. We know the internet service will offer three options:
- The first is the ultra-compact model, which comes in a 7-inch square design weighing one pound. It will deliver speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps).
- The standard model will be an 11-inch square, 1-inch thick option weighing less than five pounds (without the mounting bracket) and provide speeds up to 400Mbps.
- Amazon’s largest model (targeted towards enterprises and government organizations) will measure 19 inches by 30 inches and provide speeds up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).
The company has stated in the past that it will use the Ka-band phased array antenna, which, with a 12-inch diameter, is three times smaller than older antenna designs. Amazon says this will allow it to offer services at high speeds with low latency.
While the company hasn’t shared its pricing model, it says it’ll apply a similar approach to the service as it did to other low-cost devices, including the Fire TV Stick. “We also know customer needs will vary quite a bit around the world, and our service offerings may vary from country to country with the right pricing and service for customers in each region,” Amazon states on its website.
Project Kuiper’s focus on sustainability
Amazon says the project has focused on safety and sustainability from the beginning. When designing the satellite, the company added active propulsion systems on each satellite, allowing it to control each one. This will allow the company to keep its satellites a safe distance from spacecraft and debris.
Furthermore, Amazon says it will operate its constellation at low altitudes, allowing the company to deorbit satellites when needed. Each satellite will also function within 9 kilometers of its altitude to reduce overlapping with other satellites.
“Our onboard propulsion systems are designed to actively deorbit satellites within a year of their mission ending, and these low altitudes ensure that, even in the event of a propulsion system failure, non-operational spacecraft will decay in a timely manner,” the company wrote in a May 2023 blog post.
Source: Amazon
Amazon’s similarities to Starlink
Amazon’s project has similarities to Starlink’s project. Both focus on offering low-latency connectivity to underserved communities across the world. Starlink has more options for customers, with Residential, Priority, Roam, and Mobile Priority plans. However, when the company started offering its services, customers didn’t have several plans to choose from. It was targeted more towards residential communities.
Deciding which provider to choose
If you think you’ll benefit from a satellite internet provider, you’ll likely ask yourself which one to choose. If you’re going for name recognition, choose between Starlink and Project Kuiper. While a thorough comparison between the two will likely have to wait until Amazon makes it available to the public, you can familiarize yourself with Starlink with our in-depth guide about everything you need to know.
