Amazon and SpaceX have reached an agreement to collaborate on the launch of Amazon’s low orbit satellites for its Project Kuiper, according to a statement from Amazon. The deal involves the use of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets, with three launches planned for early to mid-2025. The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
The collaboration between Amazon and SpaceX, both players in the satellite internet industry, aims to enhance Amazon’s capacity to deploy its own satellites. These satellites are scheduled to begin deployment in the first half of 2024. Amazon has also partnered with Arianespace, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin for additional launch contracts, totaling up to 83 launches.
In response to the news, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated on X (formerly Twitter) that SpaceX launches competitor satellite systems without favoring its own satellites, emphasizing fair competition. Representatives from SpaceX have not yet commented on the collaboration.
Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to create a satellite constellation to rival SpaceX’s Starlink. In early October, two prototypes for Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite constellation, KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2, were successfully launched. These prototypes are part of Amazon’s plan to deploy over 3,200 satellites over the next six years to provide orbital broadband internet.
Starlink, which began launching satellites in 2019, currently has over 4,000 satellites in orbit and plans to build a constellation of approximately 42,000 satellites. In September, Starlink announced that it had achieved internet connectivity on all seven continents, serving more than 2 million people across 60 countries.
The collaboration between Amazon and SpaceX marks a significant development in the satellite internet industry, as both companies strive to expand their capabilities and provide global internet coverage.