Amazon’s Challenge Kuiper is reportedly manner not on time, based on an investigation by Bloomberg. That is the corporate’s satellite tv for pc web service, which intends to rival SpaceX and Starlink. The problem appears to be considered one of scale, as the corporate has had hassle growing manufacturing of the particular satellites.
The reporting signifies that the Kuiper workforce has solely managed to fabricate just a few dozen of those satellites. As a comparability, there are at present over 7,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. The preliminary manufacturing of the Kuiper satellites was delayed till the tail-end of final yr, so Amazon hasn’t had an excessive amount of time to ramp issues up.
Beta testing didn’t begin till earlier this yr. Amazon had deliberate for an preliminary launch on April 8 for 27 satellites, however that acquired delayed till April 28.
Challenge Kuiper hopes to finally present broadband connectivity to no less than 400 million households, along with offering service in distant areas. Nevertheless, it must launch over 3,000 satellites to achieve that purpose. Moreover, it secured a authorities contract with a deadline to place 1,600 satellites in orbit by subsequent summer season. Insiders counsel that it’s going to in all probability have to hunt an extension from the FCC.
"We’ve designed among the most superior communications satellites ever constructed, and our major goal is to construct and launch sufficient of them to start delivering service to prospects later this yr," an Amazon spokesperson told Seeking Alpha. "Our manufacturing schedule is on observe to assist this goal, and we’ll proceed to extend our manufacturing and launch charges as we start a full-scale deployment of our community."
It did handle to launch a pair of prototype satellites into house in late 2023. This was adopted by profitable assessments of an optical mesh community that linked the 2 satellites in low Earth orbit.
The corporate is scheduled to conduct a variety of launches all year long, with assist from Arianespace, Blue Origin and SpaceX. United Launch Alliance, a three way partnership between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, will deal with the April 28 launch. Amazon hasn’t indicated why satellite tv for pc manufacturing has hit this hiccup. We reached out to the corporate and can replace this put up once we be taught extra.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/house/amazons-starlink-rival-project-kuiper-is-reportedly-way-behind-schedule-153514471.html?src=rss
