Amazon’s ambitious satellite program, Project Kuiper, has been delayed again after a technical glitch prevented the scheduled launch of 27 internet satellites on Monday.
The rocket operator, United Launch Alliance (ULA), declared it would stand down about 30 minutes from liftoff at Cape Canaveral, Florida, due to “an elevated purge temperature within the booster engine” of its Atlas V rocket.
The launch, originally set for Friday but delayed because of inclement weather, now waits for a new date, which ULA says will be made public shortly.
Project Kuiper is Amazon’s Answer to Starlink
Tom Cooper/Getty Images for Amazon
If you’re having a hard time figuring out the exact problem behind the delay, it’s this simple: the engine overheated, and engineers must analyze the reason before continuing.
For those unfamiliar, Project Kuiper is Amazon’s multi-billion-dollar project to establish a world-spanning satellite-based broadband service, straight competition for Elon Musk’s Starlink. Its objective is to bring high-speed, low-cost internet to remote and underserved areas where traditional infrastructure is lacking or unreliable.
Amazon will deploy a constellation of 3,236 low Earth orbit satellites by 2029. It will have at least 1,000 in orbit by the end of 2025, sufficient to start its broadband service in small areas later in the year.
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Amazon’s Internet Push Might Be Affected
This setback, though not disastrous, is a speed bump on Amazon’s quest to join the satellite internet space. Starlink from SpaceX currently has more than 6,000 satellites in space and provides service to more than 70 nations. Each setback for Amazon is another step in lagging behind its chief rival in the satellite broadband arms race.
Amazon has already spent more than $10 billion in launch deals, locking down over 90 rocket launches with partners such as ULA, Blue Origin, ArianeGroup, and even SpaceX.
What Customers Will Get From Project Kuiper
According to Digital Trends, Project Kuiper will provide three categories of user terminals once it is operational:
- Portable Terminal (7-inch square): Provides speeds of up to 100 Mbps
- Standard Terminal (11-inch square): For families with speeds of up to 400 Mbps
- Enterprise Terminal (Large format): Provides up to 1 Gbps, aimed at companies and organizations
The Seattle giant is going to set its mass-market terminal price at about $400, which is slightly more than Starlink’s $350 consumer terminal. But the company assures its engineering and construction process will be cost-effective while still delivering top-notch performance.
Opening Up Global Connectivity
Similar to Starlink, Amazon is framing Project Kuiper as something greater than a consumer internet service. Its future lies in disaster relief, emergency communications, and remote region communications, particularly where it’s not feasible to provide fiber or cellular service.
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