On Tuesday, Amazon unveiled three satellite antennas as it gets ready to compete with SpaceX's Starlink through its own Project Kuiper network connection.
The "basic" satellite antenna, also called as a client terminal, is projected to cost Amazon less than $400 per to construct, according to the tech giant.
Rajeev Badyal, Amazon's vice president of technology for Project Kuiper, said in a statement: "Every technology and business decision we've made has been centered on how to deliver the best possible experience for distinct consumers all over the globe, and our range of client terminals reflect some these choices.
In order to deliver high-speed internet to every country in the world, Amazon is constructing a network of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit as part of Project Kuiper. In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission approved the system that Amazon has stated it will "spend more than $10 billion" in developing.
Under 11 inches square, 1 inch thick, and under 5 pounds are the dimensions and weight of the "standard" design. Customers would receive rates of "up to 400 megabits per second (Mbps)" according to Amazon.
A 7-inch square "ultra-compact" type with a weight of roughly 1 pound and speeds of up to 100 Mbps is what Amazon describes as its smallest and most cheap device. Amazon intends to sell the antennas to government and business customers in addition to residential consumers for services like "ground mobility and the internet of things."
At 19 inches by 30 inches, its largest "pro" variant is a high-bandwidth version intended for non-residential users. According to Amazon, this antenna can "provide rates up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps)" across space.
The anticipated monthly service fee for Project Kuiper users has not yet been disclosed by Amazon.
In order to deploy the satellites quickly enough to satisfy regulatory criteria, Amazon has scheduled up to 92 launches from three distinct businesses, which is the largest corporate rocket transaction in the history of the industry.
Amazon announced on Tuesday that it plans to start mass-producing satellite launches by the end of the year, with service beginning by the end of 2024 after production satellites are launched in the first half of 2024.
The company's first two experimental satellites are slated to blast off in May on the Vulcan rocket's inaugural mission, which is carried out by United Launch Alliance.
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