Amazon Project Kuiper for high-speed broadband got a boost as Fecbook decided to sell its internet satellite team to Amazon.
According to Arvian Research, Facebook decision to sell an internet satellite team is a significant step in amazon’s efforts to develop a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network for broadband service to unserved and underserved communities around the world.
“Globally there is a momentum on providing low-latency and high-speed broadband connectivity. Amazon decision to buy Facebook resarch team working on the space will help it compete with SpaceX’s Starlink broadband constellation,” said Arvian Research.
Jeff Bezos Project Kuiper is designed to provide low-latency, high-speed reliable and affordable broadband connectivity to users around the world. Amazon aims to have a 3,236-satellite constellation in orbit by 2029, with half of it launched by 2026.
The global ecommerce giant also plans to build 12 ground stations around the world to transmit data to and from the satellites. To further gain momentum on its ambitious Project Kuiper, the company already allocated more than $10 billion to make all that happen and recently received FAA approval for the project.
Amazon project received momentum when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granting Amazon approval by a 5-0 vote to deploy and operate our constellation of 3,236 satellites.
It also announced last year that it would use United Launch Alliance’s ultra-reliable Atlas V rocket for the initial satellite launches. The company will have to face regulatory hurdles in this project and world over technology enthusiasts are looking at how the company will manage it.
Amazon has significantly ramped up hiring efforts for Project Kuiper at its Redmond headquarters, with 500 employees currently aboard and 200 open positions. The employees coming from Facebook are reportedly based in the Los Angeles area and include physicists as well as optical, prototyping, mechanical and software engineers.
Facebook’s former head of Southern California connectivity Jin Bains is now listed as a Project Kuiper director in his LinkedIn page. Jin Bains Joined Facebook SoCal Connectivty Project in 2017. He also worked with National Instrument and Agilent Technologies before leading the Facebook project.
Amazon Senior Vice President Dave Limp said the company had heard so many stories lately about people who are unable to do their job or complete schoolwork because they don’t have reliable internet at home.
“There are still too many places where broadband access is unreliable or where it doesn’t exist at all. Kuiper will change that. Our $10 billion investment will create jobs and infrastructure around the United States that will help us close this gap. We appreciate the FCC’s unanimous, bipartisan support on this issue, and I want to thank Chairman Pai and the rest of the Commission for taking this important first step with us. We’re off to the races,” said Dave Limp.
Project Kuiper Vice President of Technology Rajeev Badyal Amazon is doing an incredible amount of invention to deliver fast, reliable broadband at a price that makes sense for customers.
“LEO-based broadband systems like Project Kuiper present a huge number of challenges, and we have assembled a world-class team of engineers and scientists who are committed to delivering on our vision for Project Kuiper and keeping space a safe, sustainable environment for everyone. Combine that with Amazon’s deep expertise in networking and infrastructure and its ability to finance such a huge undertaking, and I am optimistic about the impact we can have for these unserved and underserved communities,” said Rajeev Badyal.
