Amazon Launches Test Satellites to Challenge SpaceX’s Internet Service
In a bid to rival SpaceX’s broadband network, Amazon has successfully launched the first set of test satellites for its planned internet service. The satellites were carried into space by the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket. This marks the beginning of Amazon’s ambitious plan to improve global internet coverage with a constellation of 3,236 satellites orbiting the Earth. The company aims to start offering its internet service by the end of next year.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX was the first to deploy test satellites for its Starlink internet service back in 2018. Since then, SpaceX has launched over 5,000 Starlink satellites using its Falcon rockets. Meanwhile, Europe’s Eutelsat OneWeb has also been launching its own internet satellites, with around 600 currently in orbit.
With Amazon’s Vulcan rocket grounded until at least the end of this year, the company opted to use the trusted Atlas V rocket for this initial satellite deployment. The Federal Communications Commission, when licensing the program, set the condition that at least half of Amazon’s planned satellites must be operational by 2026, and all of them must be working by 2029. To accomplish this, Amazon has reserved 77 launches with the United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, and Europe’s Arianespace.
With multiple companies vying to establish their satellite-based internet services, it is expected that global internet coverage will be significantly improved in the coming years, benefiting users worldwide with increased accessibility and connectivity. As competition continues to heat up in this field, the next few years could see rapid advancements in satellite technology and the delivery of internet services from space.
