In April, we learned that Amazon was planning to launch 3,236 satellites to build a network to provide global high-speed Internet. Unlike current satellite Internet, these devices will be in a far lower orbit and offer far faster speeds.
Amazon is awaiting FCC approval for the launch of its first set of satellites. While waiting, it’s joined up with SIA, the Satellite Industry Association, to develop its new service according to SatelliteToday.com.
“We are very pleased to welcome Kuiper to the Board of Directors of SIA and to the Association as our newest executive member,” said Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association. “These truly are exciting times in the satellite industry as highly innovative technology leaders look to deploy new satellites and constellations designed to bridge the digital divide both here in the U.S. and around the world. We look forward to working with Kuiper and their leadership as the Company prepares to roll out its next-generation high speed satellite broadband and global 5G connectivity services.”
SIA is a group that pushes to create regulatory policies to promote and regulate the use of satellites. Now Amazon is its newest executive member in its push to launch space-based home Internet.
In June, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos opened up about his plans to for high-speed Internet from space sold by Amazon.
“The goal here is broadband everywhere, but the very nature of [having] thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit is very different from geostationary satellites. … You have equal broadband all over the surface of Earth. Not exactly equal, it tends to be a lot more concentrated toward the poles, unfortunately.
“But you end up servicing the whole world. So, it’s really good. By definition, you end up accessing people who are ‘under-bandwidthed.’ Very rural areas, remote areas. And I think you can see going forward that internet, access to broadband is going to be very close to being a fundamental human need as we move forward.
“So, Project Kuiper has that. It’s also a very good business for Amazon because it’s a very high-capex [capital expenditure] undertaking. It’s multiple billions of dollars of capex. … Amazon is a large enough company now that we need to do things that, if they work, can actually move the needle.”
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