Following SpaceX, Facebook and OneWEB, Amazon is joining the queue of those who want to provide the Internet to a large part of the Earth's population with the help of a constellation of low-orbit satellites and complete coverage of most of the planet's surface with their signal.
Back in September last year, the news appeared on the Web that Amazon was planning a "big and daring space project." The corresponding message was noticed by attentive Internet users in the appeared and almost immediately deleted announcement about the search for engineers competent in this field on the website www.amazon.jobs, on the basis of which the Internet giant is looking for and recruiting new employees. Apparently, this project meant "Project Kuiper", which recently became known to the public.
Amazon's first public step under Project Kuiper was the filing of three applications with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) through the FCC and on behalf of Kuiper Systems LLC. The applications contain a plan to deploy 3236 satellites in low Earth orbit, including 784 satellites at an altitude of 590 kilometers, 1296 satellites at an altitude of 610 kilometers, and 1156 satellites at an altitude of 630 kilometers.
In response to an inquiry from GeekWire, Amazon has confirmed that Kuiper Systems is in fact one of its projects.
"Project Kuiper is our new initiative to launch a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit that will bring high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to unserved or underserved communities around the world," an Amazon spokesman said in an email. “This is a long-term project that will serve tens of millions of people who lack basic Internet access. We look forward to partnering on this project with other companies that share our goals.”
The representative of the company also said that their grouping will be able to provide the Earth's surface with the Internet in the range of latitudes from 56 degrees north latitude to 56 degrees south latitude, thus covering 95% of the world's population.
The United Nations estimates that almost 4 billion people around the world are underserved with access to the global network, which is becoming increasingly important as the wave of globalization sweeps the world, and information becomes a key resource and commodity.
Many well-known companies, like Amazon, have taken similar initiatives in the past and are working in this direction.
- Last year, SpaceX launched the first two prototype satellites for its massive satellite internet project, Starlink. The company expects the constellation of satellites to grow to more than 12 vehicles in low Earth orbit. The satellites will be manufactured at the SpaceX plant in Redmond, Washington. Billionaire and SpaceX founder Elon Musk expects the investment in the Starlink project to pay off in full and, moreover, help fund his dream of a city on Mars.
- OneWeb launched its first six communications satellites in February this year and plans to launch hundreds more over the next year or two. Last month, the consortium announced it had received a major investment of $1,25 billion from the SoftBank group of companies.
- In 2018, Telesat launched its first low-Earth orbit communications satellite prototype and plans to launch hundreds more to provide first-generation broadband services in the early 2020s.
Internet access is already available via satellites in geostationary orbit, for example, using the services of companies such as Viasat and Hughes. However, despite the fact that communication satellites in geostationary orbit are much more convenient to use, since they are always at the same point relative to the Earth and have a large coverage area (about 1% of the planet's surface for 42 satellite), they also have an extremely high time signal delays due to the greater distance (minimum 35 km) to the satellites and the high cost of their launch. It is expected that low-orbit satellites will have an advantage in both the delay and the cost of launching into orbit.
Other companies are trying to find a middle ground in the satellite race. One is SES Networks, which plans to launch four O3b satellites into medium earth orbit to increase coverage for its services while reducing satellite signal latency.
Amazon has not yet provided information about the start of the deployment of the Project Kuiper satellite constellation. There is also no information about how much access and connection to the services of the future provider will cost. For now, it can be assumed that the project's codename, which pays homage to the late planetary scientist Gerard Kuiper and the vast Kuiper ice belt named after him, is unlikely to remain the service's working name once it is commercially launched. Most likely, the service will get a name associated with the Amazon brand, for example, Amazon Web Services.
The next step for Amazon after applying to the International Telecommunication Union will be filing with the US Federal Communications Commission and other regulators. The approval process could take a long time as regulators need to assess whether the Amazon constellation will interfere with existing and future constellations of satellites, and whether Amazon has the technical ability to ensure that their satellites do not become a threat to life when they fall to Earth or become into space debris dangerous for other orbiting objects.
It is not yet known who will produce new satellites and who will launch them into orbit. But at least given Amazon's $900 billion capitalization, there's no doubt they can afford the project. Also, do not forget that Jeff Bezos, the owner and president of Amazon, owns Blue Origin, which is developing its own New Glenn-class space rocket. OneWeb and Telesat, mentioned by us, have already turned to the company's services for launching communication satellites into low-orbit orbit. So Amazon has plenty of resources and experience. We'll just have to wait to see what happens and who ends up winning the race to become the planet's satellite internet provider.
Source: 3dnews.ru