Amazon receives FCC clearance to deploy its Project Kuiper satellites. The giant plans to place 3,236 satellites in low orbit.
Amazon has taken a step forward in deploying the first satellites of its Kuiper project. The company has just received the necessary clearance from the Federal Trade Commission (FCC), the document required to officially launch at least 3,236 satellites into orbit and initiate the Kuiper satellite internet service.
Amazon receives FCC clearance to deploy Project Kuiper satellites
As SpaceNews points out, Amazon has already received its first approval from the commission in 2020. The FCC then allowed the American giant to launch several thousand satellites into low Earth orbit only if it obtained regulatory approval for a recent debris management plan.
In its white paper, the FCC explains that the new proposed plan satisfies the condition requested by the company when the commission responded positively to the giant’s request in 2020. This additional permission “will allow Kuiper to start rolling out its constellation in order to be able to offer high-speed connectivity to its customers around the world.”
Giant plans to place 3,236 satellites in low orbit
As part of this new orbital debris management plan, the FCC requires Amazon to provide a semi-annual report “regarding the number of satellites launched and processing reliability.”If the American giant is unable to process these satellites within a year, it must also report this to the FCC. In addition, the commission is asking Project Kuiper to ensure that it can de-orbit its satellites after completing their seven-year mission. It is necessary to ensure that deactivated satellites are no longer in orbit to prevent them from colliding with the International Space Station and other inhabited stations.
Late last year, Amazon announced that the first two satellites of its Kuiper project would enter orbit on the first flight of United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket. The rocket is still in the testing phase, but if all goes according to plan, it should make its first flight in the next few months. To be continued!