Launched in 2019, Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to establish a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access. This project is reminiscent of the Starlink (SpaceX) service, which we have also tested in the past.
Kuiper: a mesh network in space
To work, the Kuiper system uses optical link technology, which allows multiple satellites to communicate with each other using infrared lasers. If the first systems limited connections to two satellites simultaneously, Kuiper will allow a greater number of links in order to create a mesh network beyond the atmosphere.
This network mesh is the basis of the Amazon project. Thanks to it, the satellites in the Amazon constellation should be 30% faster than terrestrial optical fiber for data transmission, at the same distance. As part of this Kuiper project, Jeff Bezos’ firm was faced with numerous technical challenges. Thus, the laser beam must be narrow and very precise to guarantee the transmission of data over a distance of up to 2,600 km, when the satellites themselves orbit at a speed of 25,000 km/h.
Amazon has announced that its system is now functional and claims initial trials with a reduced panel of customers from mid-2024.
To launch its service, Amazon plans to launch 3,236 satellites into low Earth orbit over the next six years. The full deployment of this constellation should be completed no later than July 2029.