Amazon will launch satellites to offer internet

Amazon announced on Tuesday (5th) unprecedented agreements with companies Arianespace, Blue Origin and ULA (United Launch Alliance) to place thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, with the aim of providing broadband internet to millions of people. people.

“The contracts provide for up to 83 launches over a five-year period, allowing Amazon to deploy the majority of its constellation of 3,236 satellites,” the company said in a statement, which it said was the “largest rocket order in history.”

The total cost and launch schedule established to make Project Kuiper a reality have not been disclosed.

“We still have a lot of work to do, but the team continues to achieve milestone after milestone in all aspects of our satellite system,” said Amazon Vice President Dave Limp in the same statement.

Project Kuiper will provide high-speed internet to remote locations with connectivity issues, according to Amazon.

Located in Cape Canaveral, Florida, ULA won the most contracts, with 38 launches. The joint venture formed by the American giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin has announced that it will make investments to have a second platform in this emblematic place in space history.

Blue Origin, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, as well as Amazon, will make 12 launches for its future New Glen rocket, with an option for an additional 15. The company will also benefit from the ULA contract because it manufactures its competitor’s Vulcan Centaur rocket engines.

The only non-American participant, the French company Arianespace, was responsible for 18 launches.

Billionaire Elon Musk, president of the space company SpaceX, has put 2,000 satellites into orbit so far — out of the 12,000 planned — to create his own Starlink internet network, which already sells services in many countries.