Amazon plans to launch more than 3,000 internet relay satellites, competing with SpaceX and others in a fast-growing marketplace.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off Friday and boosted a pair of prototype internet satellites into orbit for Amazon's Kuiper program, the latest entry in the increasingly competitive space-based broadband market currently dominated by SpaceX.
Amazon plans to launch 3,236 Kuiper satellite, with internet service beginning after the first 578 data relay stations are in orbit. The company has signed contracts totaling $10 billion for 38 launches using ULA's new Vulcan rocket, 18 flights of the European Ariane 6 booster and at least 12 using New Glenn rockets built by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.All of those rockets are in development and none have yet flown.
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Amazon launches test satellites for its planned internet service to compete with SpaceXAmazon has launched the first test satellites for its planned internet service. United Launch Alliance's Atlas rocket blasted off Friday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with the two test satellites. The liftoff marked the start of Amazon's goal to improve global broadband access with an eventual 3,236 satellites around Earth. Elon Musk's SpaceX has a head start over Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos, who has his own rocket company. SpaceX has already launched more than 5,000 of its internet satellites, known as Starlinks, using its own Falcon rockets.
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Amazon launches test satellites for its planned internet service to compete with SpaceXAmazon has launched the first test satellites for its planned internet service.
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Amazon launches test satellites for its planned internet service to compete with SpaceXAmazon has launched the first test satellites for its planned internet service. United...
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Atlas V rocket launches Amazon's 1st 2 internet satellites to orbit (video)Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, 'Out There,' was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
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