The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Amazon’s order to launch and operate 3,230 Kuiper project satellites in low Earth orbit. This decision was granted after the US company accepted measures to combat space debris and collisions with other equipment.
In 2020, Amazon obtained authorization from the regulatory body to begin the approval stages of its constellation of satellites operating in the Ka band. This novelty places Jeff Bezos’ company as a direct competitor of Starlink services, Elon Musk’s company known for operating internet via satellite in remote regions.
In a public statement, the FCC stated that “Kuiper [projeto] begins the implementation of its constellation, in order to bring high-speed broadband connectivity to customers around the world”, highlighting that this novelty should directly benefit people who seek greater competition in satellite internet services.
However, the government authority requires Amazon to publish a semi-annual report on the operation of the service and methods adopted to avoid collisions with other telecommunications satellites. The launch of the Kuiper satellites takes place in partnership with the companies Arianespace, Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance (ULA).