AWS Ground Station unit
- Snippet from Wikipedia: Kuiper Systems
Kuiper Systems LLC, also known as Project Kuiper, is a subsidiary of Amazon that was established in 2019 to deploy a large satellite internet constellation to provide low-latency broadband internet connectivity. The name Kuiper was a company codename for the project inspired by the outer Solar System's Kuiper belt.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Amazon approval to deploy its planned constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit. Deployment is planned in five phases, and internet service will begin once the first 578 satellites are launched. Under its granted FCC license, Amazon is required to launch and operate 50% of its satellites no later than July 30, 2026, and must launch and operate the remaining satellites no later than July 30, 2029.
Amazon has purchased 92 rocket launches with United Launch Alliance, ArianeGroup and Blue Origin for a total of over US$10 billion. In 2024, launches were secured aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 as well.
Two initial prototype satellites “KuiperSat-1” and “KuiperSat-2” launched on October 6, 2023 on a ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.