Can Amazon's satellite internet 'Project Kuiper' catch up with Starlink?



Amazon is preparing for the global rollout of its satellite internet service ``Project Kuiper,'' but it is lagging behind its rival Starlink. Foreign media Bloomberg reported on the manufacturing cost of Project Kuiper's satellites, so I summarized the situation that Project Kuiper is in along with the facts that have already been revealed.

Project Kuiper

https://www.aboutamazon.com/what-we-do/devices-services/project-kuiper

What is 'Project Kuiper,' Amazon's New Satellite Internet Initiative?
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/what-is-amazon-project-kuiper

Here's your first look at Project Kuiper's low-cost customer terminals
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/heres-your-first-look-at-project-kuipers-low-cost-customer-terminals

Amazon's Project Kuiper to Challenge Elon Musk's Starlink Satellite Internet - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-12-18/amazon-s-project-kuiper-to-challenge-elon-musk-s-starlink-satellite-internet

Project Kuiper is a project that aims to provide stable internet connection services around the world. Amazon plans to launch 3,236 communication satellites to realize Project Kuiper, and aims to launch half of them by July 2026. Two prototype satellites were launched on October 6, 2023, and the company plans to start providing services to some users by the end of 2024.

Amazon's satellite internet communication 'Project Kuiper' will launch a prototype satellite on October 6, 2023 - GIGAZINE



Amazon has partnered with companies such as Blue Origin, an aerospace company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Arianespace, and United Launch Alliance to launch satellites. It has also been announced that on December 2, 2023, it has signed a satellite launch contract with SpaceX, which provides a directly competing service 'Starlink'.

Amazon announces that it will borrow the help of rival SpaceX to launch the satellite internet 'Project Kuiper' - GIGAZINE



Below are Project Kuiper's prototype satellites 'KuiperSat-1' and 'KuiperSat-2' housed in a shipping container. According to Bloomberg, Amazon estimates the manufacturing cost per satellite to be $500,000 (about 70 million yen).



The plan is for the satellites to form a mesh network using infrared lasers. Amazon has already successfully conducted a demonstration experiment with a prototype satellite, and has reported successful communication at 100Gbps.

Amazon's satellite internet ``Project Kuiper'' successfully verified data communication technology using infrared lasers that is approximately 30% faster than terrestrial optical fiber cables - GIGAZINE



Project Kuiper users can install an antenna anywhere and connect to the Internet. Three sizes of antennas are available, with the small antenna capable of communication at 100 Mbps, the medium antenna at 400 Mbps, and the large antenna at 1 Gbps.



At the time of writing, Project Kuiper is in the process of launching a communication satellite, but on November 28, 2023, NTT Group and SKY Perfect JSAT announced a strategic collaboration with Amazon in the Project Kuiper business. . This collaboration is expected to have the effect of ``expanding docomo's service area to mountainous areas and islands.''

Amazon's Project Kuiper, NTT, and Sky Perfect JSAT agree to strategic collaboration to provide advanced satellite broadband services in Japan ~ Provide Japanese customers with services with superior flexibility, resilience, and availability ~ First strategy in the Asia-Pacific region Announcing collaboration | News release | NTT
https://group.ntt/jp/newsrelease/2023/11/28/231128a.html



While Project Kuiper is preparing to launch its service, rival Starlink has already launched its service in various parts of the world, including Japan. The GIGAZINE editorial department has also introduced Starlink, and the link below provides a detailed summary of Starlink's ``installation procedures'', ``types of contract plans'', ``communication speeds'', ``billing mechanisms'', etc.

I set up the satellite-based internet ``Starlink'' that I bought at Costco and tried connecting to the internet.Review - GIGAZINE



I tried using the 'Starlink' kit purchased at Costco with the contract plan 'ROAM' that can be used anywhere without changing address procedures & I tried using it outdoors by blocking the 5 GHz band & Summary of points of interest such as billing mechanism - GIGAZINE



in Web Service, Posted by log1o_hf