Amazon commits $120 million to construct internet satellite facility

Amazon has announced a massive investment of $120 million to construct a state-of-the-art satellite construction facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The project, known as “Project Kuiper,” aims to compete head-to-head with SpaceX’s renowned Starlink service.

The brainchild of Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s “Project Kuiper” promises to deliver fast and affordable broadband to communities worldwide that are currently unserved or underserved. This ambitious endeavor involves deploying a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to ensure efficient global coverage.

Steve Metayer, the Vice President of Kuiper Production Operations, expressed enthusiasm about the progress. He revealed that the company has set ambitious goals for Project Kuiper and plans to kickstart full-scale production launches and early customer pilots next year. The newly planned satellite construction facility at the Kennedy Space Center will play a pivotal role in achieving these milestones.

Amazon’s space ventures do not end there, as the company already has an existing production facility in Kirkland, Washington, which is set to begin operations later this year. The assembled satellite units will be transported to Florida, where final preparations will take place. Here, they will be integrated with rockets from Blue Origin, another company founded by Jeff Bezos, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) before they are launched into orbit.

While Amazon’s Project Kuiper emerges as a prominent player in the space internet race, SpaceX’s Starlink currently dominates the field with its operational fleet of over 3,700 satellites launched since 2019. Additionally, London-headquartered OneWeb is another early contender in the burgeoning sector.

Interestingly, governments are also entering the fray, emphasizing the significance of space-based internet connectivity. China, for instance, has plans to launch a staggering 13,000 satellites as part of its GuoWang constellation. Canada’s Telesat aims to add 300 satellites to the mix, and German start-up Rivada is eyeing a deployment of 600 satellites.

The European Union has its own Iris project, involving 170 satellites, while the US military’s Space Development Agency is planning to launch between 300 to 500 satellites.

As companies and governments race to establish their space-based internet services, it is clear that the demand for global connectivity is driving significant investment and innovation in the satellite industry. The developments surrounding Amazon’s Project Kuiper represent a notable milestone in this exciting space race.