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Amazon says it plans to make the service accessible by offering affordable plans and outdoor antennae.
As the race for satellite internet supremacy heats up, heres everything you better know about Project Kuiper.
What is Project Kuiper?
Project Kuiper is the name for Amazons planned satellite internet service.
Amazon plans to address these coverage gaps by investing heavily in satellite technology.
Amazon began working on Project Kuiper in 2018.
It received a license from the FCC in July 2020 to launch and operate satellites.
How does Project Kuiper work?
Amazon initially plans to launch 3,232 satellites.
At around 375 miles above the ground, these orbit much closer to the Earth than traditional geostationary satellites.
This results in lower latency and faster data transmission.
The constellation is designed to provide global coverage by seamlessly handing off connections between satellites as they orbit.
When will Project Kuiper be available?
It has already secured more than 80 heavy-lift launches, enough to put most of its constellation into orbit.
Amazon launched a pair ofprototype satellites in 2023.
How fast will Project Kuiper be?
To begin with, Amazon has developed three customer terminals, each of which offers differentconnectivity speeds.
The standard antenna measures less than 11 inches square and is designed for domestic roof-mounting.
Amazon has also engineered a cheaper, more compact antenna which measures 7 inches square and weighs just 1lb.
It will offer internet speeds of up to 100Mbps.
How much will Project Kuiper cost?
Amazon hasnt confirmed pricing for Project Kuiper yet.
However, the company has made clear that affordability is a key principle.
Its likely that the service will be accessible as part of a monthly subscription.
Project Kuiper vs Starlink: how do they compare?
One key difference is that Starlink is several steps ahead of Project Kuiper.
It already has more than 7,000 functioning satellites in orbit.
Starlink is also triallingsmartphone to satellite connectivity with T-Mobile(below).
Because it owns its own rockets, SpaceX has more flexibility to deploy Starlink satellites.
Amazon has to rely on third-party launch partners, including SpaceX.
