Unveiled last April, the e-commerce giant's Kuiper project is deploying exactly 3,236 satellites in orbit to develop a global Internet network.
The project has just taken a step further as we now learn that Amazon has filed a formal request with the Federal Communications Commission of the United States (FCC). Does Jeff Bezos intend to compete here with Elon Musk and his Starlink satellite constellation?
It is clear that with their two companies, Blue Origin, and SpaceX, these two rivals often face to face; now it's Amazon's turn to enter the race!
Amazon submits its Kuiper project to the FCC
We spoke about it last April when Amazon unveiled this ambitious project whose goal is to offer broadband internet access on nearly 95% of the world's surface, " a long-term project that targets tens of millions of people who do not have basic Internet access, "according to the company.
We now know a little more about this famous project since it has just passed an extra step. On Monday, July 5, Amazon has filed its formal application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), however, its approval may take some time, as was already the case for the Starlink constellation of SpaceX.
No calendar for the moment
If no timetable has yet been set for putting this constellation of satellites into orbit, we know a little more about it thanks to this request from the FCC. Thus, we learn that Amazon intends to place its satellites at 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km altitude and that they will operate in Ka-band, like Iridium telephony satellites.
Finally, like Elon Musk with Starlink, Amazon has expressed its concerns about the problem of space debris.
The multinational has indeed indicated that its satellites would be desorbed after 10 years of service, whether or not they lost contact with the Earth.
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