Not only Starlink: Amazon allowed to launch more than 3 thousand satellites to distribute the Internet

This summer, Elon Musk's company SpaceX is going to begin testing the global Internet as part of

Starlink project. However, it has many competitors: Amazon just received permission to launch satellites to distribute the Internet.

What does it mean

Amazon has its own analogue of Starlink - a project undercalled Kuiper. And recently the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved it, allowing 3236 satellites to be launched into low-Earth orbit. The application was submitted in July 2019.

According to the license, Amazon will launch half of the satellites by 2026, and the rest by 2029. In total, the company plans to invest $10 billion in the Kuiper project.

The company plans to send satellites to threedifferent altitudes and says it only needs 578 satellites in orbit to begin service. Who will deliver them into orbit is still unknown, but Blue Origin, another company of Jeff Bezos, will not take part in the project.

"Kuiper will provide servicesbroadband access to unserved and underserved consumers, businesses in the United States and global customers using advanced satellite and earth station technologies,” Amazon said.