Amazon has filed an application asking for permission from the FCC to join SpaceX, One Web, and others in launching a constellation of satellites to provide broadband internet. They have requested to launch 3,236 satellites into orbit as part of Project Kuiper.
The filing states:
Amazon’s mission is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, and the Kuiper System is one of our ambitious projects to fulfill this mission.
If approved, it will connect the tens of millions around the globe who don’t have broadband internet access. Once the first 578 satellites are in position, the company can start offering its broadband satellite services.
Once in the sky, the satellites will fly at 98 orbital planes, at altitudes between 366 and 391 miles (589 to 629 kilometers). In this range of orbit known as the low Earth orbit, the satellites must rotate around the planet to remain suspended, completing orbits in just 90 minutes. Once in place, they remain where they are so there’s no danger of them crashing into each other while making their rounds.
Amazon plans to de-orbit them after 10 years to mitigate the risk of space debris since orbital debris have become an increasingly large concern. NASA recommends that 99% of the satellites from every one of these mega-constellations be deorbited once their missions are over to prevent the space around the Earth from filling up with dangerous junk.
There are about 2,000 satellites orbiting above us already, but many more are soon to join them. As many as 1,100 satellites could be launching each year by 2025, up from 365 in 2018. SpaceX alone has permission to fly 12,000 small satellites – part of its Starlink constellation – by 2027. It has already placed 60 in orbit, so it has a head start on Amazon.
The World Needs Fast Cheap Internet
As the world becomes more and more connected, those that do not have coverage are at a disadvantage. According to studies by the communications authority, 21 million Americans lack fixed and residential broadband and 33 million do not have access to fast mobile service. In addition, the United Nations estimates that 3.8 billion people worldwide remain without a fast and reliable internet service, which is becoming increasingly important as the world grows more connected.
Amazon’s satellites will be able to provide data coverage for spots on Earth ranging in latitude from 56 degrees north in line with the middle of Scotland to 56 degrees south below the southernmost tip of South America, which is where roughly 95% of the global population lives. Furthermore, satellites in low Earth orbit are expected to offer advantages in terms of low latency and low cost.
An Amazon spokesperson said:
Project Kuiper is a new initiative to launch a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world. This is a long-term project that envisions serving tens of millions of people who lack basic access to broadband internet. We look forward to partnering on this initiative with companies that share this common vision.
