Amazon is preparing to launch two test satellites for its Project Kuiper satellite internet constellation, which is designed to compete with services such as SpaceX, Starlink and OneWeb. The prototypes, dubbed Kuipersat-1 and Kuipersat-2, will be launched into orbit on a Vulcan Centaur rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA) in early 2023.
According to the company, the launch will allow it to conduct tests on its satellite network technology using data from space, and the data will “assist in finalising design, deployment, and operational plans for our commercial satellite system.” The timeline is a slight change from Amazon’s original plan; last year, the company announced that the prototypes would be launched in Q4 of 2022, using a completely different rocket from a company called ABL Space Systems.
Deadlines to meet
Both companies have deadlines to meet. ULA has to launch Vulcan twice before Q4 2023 to prove that it’s reliable enough to carry out missions for the US Space Force.
Meanwhile, Amazon has to launch half of its satellites by 2026 to keep its FCC license. That’s further away than the end of next year, but given that Amazon’s constellation is set to be made up of 3,236 satellites, that’s going to require quite a few launches in the next few years. Thirty-eight of them are set to use the Vulcan, while several others will be with rockets from Arianespace and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.
Amazon says it plans to “deliver fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world” once its fleet of satellites is in orbit. It also has a deal with Verizon to serve as a backhaul for remote LTE or 5G cell towers.
