Amazon wants to make Project Kuiper available in five countries early next year. The satellite internet project should be operational in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom by the end of the first quarter of that year.
This was reported by Bloomberg. The company expects to have more than 200 satellites in low Earth orbit by the end of this year. The first commercial services are planned for the end of 2025, but it is not yet clear in which markets they will be available. The ultimate goal is a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites, which will provide connectivity to consumers, businesses, and governments.
According to Ricky Freeman, responsible for government solutions within Project Kuiper, satellites will be deployed in a subsequent phase to serve more southern latitudes. Amazon aims to be present in 26 countries by the end of 2026 and to reach the equator in 2027. By 2028, the company aims to achieve full global coverage, including the poles, in approximately 88 to 100 countries. After that, additional satellites would be added on top of the original plan.
Kuiper competes with Starlink
Project Kuiper is the main competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink. The program experienced delays due to issues with rocket manufacturers and the challenging upscaling of satellite production. Four batches of satellites have now been launched, and a fifth launch is planned for later this month.
JetBlue Airways took an important commercial step earlier this month. The airline announced an agreement to use Project Kuiper satellites for in-flight Wi-Fi starting in 2027. This makes JetBlue the first airline to announce such a partnership with Amazon.
European alternative
In addition, major European companies are working on their own satellite project. Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo are in talks about setting up a joint venture that is expected to be worth around €10 billion. The initiative, called Project Bromo, is intended to create a new European satellite manufacturer with its headquarters in France. The companies want to join forces to compete with major competitors from China and the United States.