Amazon has again delayed the launch of its first production satellites for Project Kuiper, the company’s rival to the Starlink satellite internet constellation.
Like Starlink, Project Kuiper is low earth orbit (LEO) satellite-based and, like Starlink, its mission is to bring fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world – though clearly it can’t do so quite yet.
While the first completed production satellites will be shipped to launch sites this summer, the actual launch is not expected to occur until October at the earliest and, according to news resource Telecoms Tech News, beta trials with commercial customers have now been pushed back to early 2025.
The same source suggests that the delay may have been because some launch partners have faced challenges in developing and launching their next-generation rockets.
By contrast, of course, Starlink can call on the services of owner SpaceX, the spacecraft manufacturer, launch service provider and satellite communications company that started launching Starlink satellites in 2019.
In fact SpaceX serves a number of clients as well as its subsidiary. For example, recent reports indicate that SpaceX has been chosen by UAE-based satellite solutions provider Yahsat to launch its new geostationary satellites Al Yah 4 (AY4) and Al Yah 5 (AY5) using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The AY4 and AY5 satellites will deliver secure governmental communications across a wide geographical area, including the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. These satellites are expected to eventually replace the older Al Yah 1 and Al Yah 2.
