Next Steps for Amazon Starlink: Entering the Protoflight Phase of Development

Amazon hopes that its Project Kuiper satellite internet service will rival SpaceX’s Starlink . But Amazon is still a few years behind SpaceX—it doesn’t have a full satellite array, and in fact, there isn’t a single Kuiper satellite in orbit. That’s set to change on October 6th, when a pair of “Protoflight” Kuiper satellites will travel to space on a ULA Atlas V rocket. The “Protoflight” mission is for research purposes only, though it will provide real-world data on Amazon’s launch, orbit, and deorbit systems. It’ll also give Amazon a first look at Project Kuiper satellite internet performance.

The prototype satellites, called KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2, contain several onboard systems that will be deployed during orbit. The solar array is of particular importance, as it’s required to maintain satellite power. But Amazon will also monitor power consumption, temperature, and the satellites’ ability to communicate with TT&C (telemetry, tracking, and communications) stations. If all is in order, Amazon will test the satellites’ internet performance. Consumer-grade Kuiper terminals will also be tested during this period.

Both of the prototype satellites will be deorbited once the “Protoflight” mission is completed. They will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere—this may seem wasteful, but in Amazon’s words, the deorbit process is a matter of “space safety” and should be tested before a full satellite array is deployed. (The FCC recently fined Dish Network for leaving retired satellites in orbit, and space junk poses an existential threat to anyone who travels outside of Earth’s atmosphere.)

We don’t know exactly when the “Protoflight” mission will end. That said, Amazon wants to shoot off its first production satellites in early 2024, so “Protoflight” should be very short-lived. Beta testing with real-world customers should also begin next year. But Amazon still has a long way to go—there are currently 4,487 operational Starlink satellites in space, and Amazon only expects to deploy 3,200 satellites by late-2029.

A livestream of the “Protoflight” launch will air on October 6th at 2PM ET (11AM PT). Note that any incidents experienced by this mission could set back Project Kuiper by several months.

Source: Amazon via Engadget

Also read: