02-07-2025
Amazon's Project Kuiper and SpaceX are competing in a space race
Can you imagine life without internet? Honestly, I wouldn't be able to get through the day without connecting to the internet. It is estimated that about 2.5 billion people around the world do not have access. All said and done, the internet is a great equalizer and has the capacity like no other technology before it to bring opportunities, equality and economic upliftment. It is even considered a basic right in some countries. Even with this, there are limitations that the traditional fiber optic broadband connections have been unable to solve for the 2.5 billion people who live in hard-to-reach places over the years. Think of remote deserts like the sub-Saharan Africa, dense jungles like on the banks of the amazon, isolated islands and conflict zones. In recent years, a new technology is solving this problem by providing the internet not through cables and wires but through electronic waves from satellites in space. It is not new that we look for solutions from space when we cannot find one on earth. Geostationary satellites have been providing internet connections for decades. It is the scale and speed of connectivity using what is called Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites that is the game-changer. In this new kind of space race, the number of satellites in space is increasing with every launch. (Starlink)
Project Kuiper is Amazon's ambitious initiative to deliver fast, reliable broadband to communities around the world—especially in regions that lack access to traditional internet services. It is part of the device and services division responsible for Kindle, Echo, Fire TV, eero, Ring, and more. Project Kuiper began as an internal code name at Amazon and draws its name from the Kuiper Belt—a region of the solar system located beyond the eight major planets. The belt is named after Dutch astronomer Gerard Kuiper, widely regarded as a pioneer of modern planetary science.
Recently, an Atlas V rocket provided the ride to orbit for Amazon's first 27 operational Kuiper satellites. Amazon aims to launch 3232 Kuiper satellites on more than 80 rockets, primarily United Launch Alliance's Atlas V and Vulcan over the next few years. Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite-based internet provider currently has around 7000 active satellites while this is Kuiper's first batch. There is also OneWeb which has about 600 active satellites. There are a few other Chinese LEO satellite-based internet providers as well which are serious contenders.
The Starlink and Kuiper constellations both use laser inter-satellite links to relay Internet signals from node-to-node across their networks. Starlink broadcasts consumer broadband in Ku-band frequencies, while Kuiper will use Ka-band. The ka band provides greater bandwidth, smaller antennas, higher data transfer rates but is more susceptible to weather than the Ku-band.
That there is competition is a very good indicator of the technology's potential. And more competition should ideally lead to better services being provided to the customer.
Amazon hasn't yet announced the pricing on internet plans through Project Kuiper but says balancing affordability and performance will be one of their main targets. Its ultra-compact model provides speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), the standard model delivers up to 400 Mbps, and the largest model, which is intended for enterprise, government, and telecommunications applications, delivers up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). Amazon expects to make consumer terminals the size of its kindle device for under $400 each.
Amazon began research and development on Project Kuiper in 2018. In July 2020, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Amazon a license to deploy and operate Project Kuiper satellites. Amazon's FCC license requires that it deploys and operates at least half of its satellite constellation by July 2026.
In India, Amazon's Project Kuiper is awaiting its license from the Department of Telecom (DoT) and regulatory clearance from Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (In-SPACe). Notably, Starlink too is yet to receive its licenses in India.
For Amazon, Project Kuiper is a long-term, high-stakes bet on India's satellite broadband future. While competitors like Starlink and OneWeb have an early lead, Amazon's deep pockets and strategic execution could enable Kuiper to enter the Indian market sooner than expected—even ahead of Starlink. Risk of Space junk
In this new kind of space race, the number of satellites in space is increasing with every launch. The number of active satellites in the sky would increase rapidly. The amount of stuff zipping around in LEO could ultimately produce a new space problem to deal with – collisions, satellites and space debris. Collisions of two satellites will cause debris orbiting the earth for years. The satellite streaks also alter the night sky to a great extent and cause hindrance to astronomical observations. Ultimate brightness of the satellites is also what worries astronomers. As is mostly the case with fast moving technologies so it is with satellite-based internet technology, and policy here does trail the actual development. Authoured by: Varun Krishnan
