In order to secure the first launches of the mega constellation of Kuiper satellites, we have recently learned that Amazon has finally decided to trust the United Launch Alliance (ULA), the joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, signing a contract with this brand, after the tender won, the amount of which has not been disclosed at this time.
The satellites will be part of a complete constellation made up of 3,236 relay stations , destined to share with SpaceX’s Starlink project and OneWeb. In fact, some time ago we learned that Amazon had decided to invest 10 billion in order to compete with the former.
1,600 satellites will be deployed in July 2026
In its race to launch the satellites, we have learned that Amazon has decided to purchase a total of 9 Atlas V launchers . And, according to the contract with the powerful Federal Communications Commission, in July 2026 a total of 1,600 devices should be put into orbit .
In this sense, Amazon should act eagerly, especially if we take into account that, in case of not meeting the deadlines, it would risk losing the frequencies granted for the moment.
To avoid possible incidents, it is for this reason that Jeff Bezos’ company has reserved new launchers with historical manufacturers, such as Lockheed Martin or Boeing, which act through ULA. However, at least for the moment, it appears that the Blue Origin rockets, owned by Bezos, are not yet ready to fly.
On the other hand, Atlas V, even though it is a quite expensive launcher, is characterized by having a reliable reputation, having only lost one of the 85 launches made so far.
What is Amazon’s goal with these launches?
According to experts, the objective that Amazon pursues with its project is to ensure, in the long term, high-speed Internet access for those private users of said coverage throughout the world . Specifically, this system would offer connections of up to 400 Mbit / s to clients equipped with future dedicated communication antennas.
Something very similar to what other projects such as OneWeb or SpaceX are already pursuing, and that could lead to different strategic alliances with the military world in order to maximize the project’s profitability.
In any case, and to prepare for deployment, the satellites will be placed in low earth orbit , which is located between 590 to 630 kilometers above our heads.
