Amazon's internet satellites are set to rival Starlink
Amazon announced that two prototype satellites planned for the Kuiper Internet Network are successfully operating in Earth orbit.
The process of sending operational satellites under this project is scheduled to begin in mid-2024.
Kuiper's satellite internet network is set to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink network, providing broadband service to consumers, businesses and governments around the world.
Amazon said it achieved 100 percent success in the first 30 days of launching its prototype satellites. The online retailer has also used the prototype satellites for short-term two-way video calls, streaming high-definition movies on its Prime Video service, and ordering items from Amazon's website.
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"We still have a lot of work to do, and mass production is not an easy task," says Rajiv Badial, vice president of technology for the Kuiper project.
The US Federal Communications Commission has required Amazon to launch half of the 3,000 satellites planned for the Kuiper Internet Cluster into space by 2026.
Following the successful testing of prototype satellites, Amazon expects to begin manufacturing the satellites next month, with a launch date in the second half of 2024.
Badial estimates that the network will be able to provide broadband coverage in some parts of the world by late 2024, and the beta testing phase will begin in early 2025.
