Solar Energy News
SPACEMART
Amazon invests $120 million in internet satellite facility
Amazon invests $120 million in internet satellite facility
by AFP Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) July 21, 2023

Amazon said Friday it will invest $120 million to build a satellite construction facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, as part of its plans to launch a space internet service to rival SpaceX's Starlink.

The company founded by Jeff Bezos says its "Project Kuiper" will provide "fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world," with a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

"We have an ambitious plan to begin Project Kuiper's full-scale production launches and early customer pilots next year, and this new facility will play a critical role," said Steve Metayer, vice president of Kuiper Production Operations.

The company has another production facility in Kirkland, Washington, where it will begin operations by the end of this year.

The units will then be sent to Florida to carry out final preparations, and integrate them with rockets from Blue Origin -- also founded by Bezos -- and United Launch Alliance (ULA) ahead of launch.

Elon Musk's SpaceX launched the first batch of its more than 3,700 operational Starlink satellites in 2019 and is by far the biggest player. London-headquartered OneWeb is another early entrant in the emerging sector.

But governments are also keen to join the rush.

China plans to launch 13,000 satellites as part of its GuoWang constellation, while Canada's Telesat will add 300 and German start-up Rivada is eyeing 600.

That will be in addition to the European Union's Iris project -- 170 satellites -- and the 300-500 satellites planned to be launched by the US military's Space Development Agency.

Related Links
The latest information about the Commercial Satellite Industry

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SPACEMART
SpaceX launches 54 Starlink satellites, ties record for first-stage returns
Washington DC (UPI) Jul 18, 2023
SpaceX launched its latest round of Starlink communication satellites from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida just before midnight Saturday. The mission had been scrubbed Friday, with SpaceX saying a static fire of the rocket's main engines would need to be performed, giving a hint to a possible rocket hardware issue. The Falcon 9 rocket's first stage, which launched the 54 satellites, safely returned to Earth, touching down on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas, ma ... read more

SPACEMART
Harnessing synthetic biology to make sustainable alternatives to petroleum products

University of Illinois study finds turning food waste into bioenergy can become a profitable industry

New technology will let farmers produce their own fertilizer and e-fuels

Clean, sustainable fuels made 'from thin air' and plastic waste

SPACEMART
A faster way to teach a robot

Biden secures tech safety pledges over 'enormous' AI risks

A sweaty robot may help humans understand impact of soaring heat

Enabling autonomous exploration

SPACEMART
Biden to visit Philly Shipyard to announce construction of offshore wind vessel

New transmission line to carry wind energy electricity from Wyoming to Nevada

Brazil faces dilemma: endangered macaw vs. wind farm

Spire to provide TrueOcean with weather forecasts for offshore wind farm development

SPACEMART
Automakers form N.America EV charging network alliance

Volkswagen takes stake in Chinese electric carmaker

Ford launches 'hands-free' driving on UK motorways

Volvo Cars forecasts solid sales despite high inflation

SPACEMART
Electricity from the Sky: Harnessing raindrop energy

Stellantis, Samsung to build second battery plant in US

Turning waste heat into energy

Tata picks Britain for massive electric car battery plant

SPACEMART
IAEA discovers mines near Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant

Mines found at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant: UN watchdog

IAEA says still blocked from Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant roof

Unlocking the power of molecular crystals: a possible solution to nuclear waste

SPACEMART
Mining giant Rio unlikely to meet 2025 climate targets

One in three people still using dirty cooking methods: study

Wind of change picks up for German region's energy sector

'As long as we have AC': Phoenix heat shows gap between US rich, poor

SPACEMART
Philippines top court orders re-arrest of suspect in activist killing

Why trees outcompete shrubs to shift upward?

Forest can adapt to climate change, but not quickly enough

Sri Lanka uproots 'last legume' tree to build highway

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.