Amazon Pours $120 Million into Satellite Communications Facility
Amazon announced on Friday that it intends to construct a satellite manufacturing facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, investing a substantial $120 million. This move is a crucial step in Amazon’s strategy to establish its own space-based internet service, aiming to compete directly with SpaceX’s Starlink.
The company founded by Jeff Bezos says its “Project Kuiper” project will provide “fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world” with a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
“We have an ambitious plan to begin full-scale production launches and early customer pilots for Project Kuiper next year, and this new facility will play a critical role,” said Steve Metayer, Kuiper’s director of production operations.
The company has another manufacturing facility in Kirkland, Washington, where it will start operating by the end of this year.
The units will then be sent to Florida for final preparations and integration with rockets from Blue Origin – also founded by Bezos – and United Launch Alliance (ULA) before launch.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the first batch of its more than 3,700 operational Starlink satellites in 2019 and is by far the largest operator. London-headquartered OneWeb is another early entrant in the emerging sector.
But governments also want to join the rush.
China plans to launch 13,000 satellites as part of its GuoWang constellation, while Canada’s Telesat will add 300 and German start-up Rivada 600.
It comes in addition to the European Union’s Iris project – 170 satellites – and the 300-500 planned by the US military space agency.
