Amazon Will Launch 3,236 Satellites for a More Accessible Internet

Code-named Project Kuiper, it is the big space project the company was reported to launch in September 2018.

The project is code-named Project Kuiper and is the big space project the company was reported to launch in September 2018. 

(Photo: Reuters)

Amazon is planning to launch thousands of satellites into the lower Earth orbit to provide internet to the unserved and under-served communities around the world.

How many? The company will launch a constellation of 3,236 satellites, as spotted by GeekWire after Kuiper Systems LLC made three separate filings with the ITU, an international organization for coordinating satellite orbits.

The project is code-named Project Kuiper and is the big space project the company was reported to launch in September 2018.

Following is the breakdown of the 3,236 satellites:

• 784 satellites at an altitude of 367 miles (590 kilometres)
• 1,296 satellites at a height of 379 miles (610 kilometres)
• 1,156 satellites at 391-miles (630-kilometres)

The report also quoted an Amazon spokesperson as confirming that Kuiper is actually one of Amazon's project:

“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 under-served communities around the world,” the Amazon spokesperson told GeekWire in an emailed statement.

“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.”

Amazon Spokesperson

The company said that the project will provide data coverage ranging from latitude 56 degrees north to 56 degrees south, which covers 95 percent of the world's population, according to the GeekWire report.

However, the report did not mention any timeline for the deployment of the project or of the start of the internet service. It however, indicated that the service is likely to be associated with Amazon Web Service.

(With inputs from GeekWire)