Advanced Television

Project Kuiper

Major updates for Amazon’s Project Kuiper

Amazon’s Project Kuiper proposed satellite broadband system has announced two major updates. It is formally linking with sister business Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company’s cloud computing service and announced this week at ‘AWS re:Invent 2023’. The second announcement is a series of strategic partnerships in Japan with Japanese giant telco NTT and its NTT […]

November 29, 2023By Chris Forrester

Kuiper test satellites working well

The two prototype Amazon Kuiper broadband satellites are working as planned in orbit. Amazon states that the demo-spacecraft have demonstrated controlled manoeuvring in orbit using their purpose-built electric propulsion systems. The propulsion system is key to positioning and maintaining the satellites in orbit. “A recent series of test firings provided critical on-orbit data to further […]

November 10, 2023By Chris Forrester

Project Kuiper to start building satellites

Project Kuiper is the Amazon-backed broadband-by-satellite system which will comprise 3,236 craft circling the planet. Amazon says that its first two prototype satellites now in orbit are working well. They were launched on October 6th. Further tests to further validate the technology will take place over the next few weeks. In its statement, Amazon says […]

October 19, 2023By Chris Forrester

Kuiper 1 and 2 ready for launch

Amazon’s broadband-by-satellite Project Kuiper system is getting closer. Two prototype satellites will launch in the next few weeks. The United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket operator has confirmed that its next launch will carry Amazon’s KuiperSat-1 & 2 prototypes for their Project Kuiper mega-constellation. According to an insider source, reportedly the mission, known as the Project […]

September 12, 2023

Analyst: Project Kuiper still a good idea?

Analysts at MoffettNathanson Research (MN), in a deep dive into prospects for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband mega-constellation, are asking some tough questions. They point out that as well as being head-to-head with Elon Musk’s Starlink, along with other would-be players in the orbital broadband space, Amazon is also facing considerable criticism from its own shareholders […]

September 8, 2023

Amazon: “Shareholder lawsuit has no merit”

A shareholder in Amazon (the Cleveland Bakers & Teamsters Pension Fund/CB&T) is suing the company alleging that Amazon snubbed potential launch contracts from SpaceX because of personal animosity between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. Amazon, in a statement, said “the claims in this lawsuit are completely without merit, and we look forward to showing that […]

September 4, 2023By Chris Forrester

Amazon hit by lawsuit over Kuiper broadband

A pension fund which is a shareholder in Amazon has filed a lawsuit against the directors of Amazon alleging that they failed to consider SpaceX as a launch supplier for the Project Kuiper broadband by satellite scheme. The writ, filed in Delaware’s Chancery Court, argues that the directors “acted in bad faith” in approving the […]

September 1, 2023By Chris Forrester

Amazon’s Kuiper promises 400 mb/s downloads

The Amazon-funded Project Kuiper mega-constellation of more than 3,000 low Earth orbiting broadband satellites, is promising download speeds of up to 400 Mb/s, significantly ahead of SpaceX’s Starlinks. Amazon has earmarked some $10 billion (€9.24bn) for the scheme. Most Starlink users report download speeds of around 100-150 Mb/s. There is no quoted certainty, but users […]

July 25, 2023

Project Kuiper gets closer

The Amazon-backed Project Kuiper low Earth orbiting (LEO) broadband satellite system moved a major step closer with the establishment of a satellite processing and test facility in Florida. Kuiper is investing $120 million in a 100,000 sq ft factory which is being built near the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Kuiper received its FCC licence […]

July 24, 2023By Chris Forrester

Ariane 6 explained; concerns remain

Arianespace has provided a detailed timetable for the introduction of the new Ariane 6 version. The final Ariane 5 rocket will launch on July 4th. Ariane 6 is already extremely late and the original objective was for the rocket to seamlessly take over the launch missions from Ariane 5. While managers have stressed that there […]

June 28, 2023