Here’s your first look at Project Kuiper’s low-cost customer terminals

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Project Kuiper is Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network. Its mission is to bridge the digital divide by providing fast, affordable broadband to communities unserved or underserved by traditional communications technologies. To use the service, customers will install an outdoor antenna—called a customer terminal—to communicate with satellites passing overhead. Traditionally, this equipment has been too large, too complex, and too expensive for many customers, making it difficult for LEO constellations to bridge the digital divide in a meaningful way. We’re often asked about the scope of Project Kuiper and the technology behind it. Here are answers to some common questions:

  1. Who will Project Kuiper help connect: Billions of people around the world don’t have reliable access to broadband. Poor connectivity means limited access to modern communications, education, health services, and other important resources, which can create an economic disadvantage for unserved and underserved communities. 
  2. Why is Amazon taking this on: Cost, complexity, and geography can make it difficult to install traditional, ground-based fiber and wireless connectivity solutions in these areas. Satellite broadband can fill many of those coverage gaps, but developing and deploying satellite technology requires significant innovation and investment. 
  3. When did Amazon start Project Kuiper: Amazon began to research and development on Project Kuiper in 2018. In July 2020, the Federal Communications Commission granted Amazon a license to deploy and operate Project Kuiper satellites.
  4. When will Project Kuiper service be available: Project Kuiper is a long-term initiative. Our FCC license requires that we deploy and operate at least half of our satellite constellation by July 2026. We’re preparing to launch our first two prototype satellites in early 2023, and we expect to provide service to the earliest Project Kuiper customers by the end of 2024.
  5. What kinds of technologies does Project Kuiper use: Project Kuiper has three main parts: ground infrastructure, satellites, and customer terminals. Amazon’s ground infrastructure includes gateway antennas that securely send and receive customer data to and from satellites, along with telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) antennas that keep the satellites properly operating. Satellites make up the second part of the project. They operate in low Earth orbit (LEO) and relay data traffic to and from our gateway antennas and customers. Lastly, customer terminals are the technology that Project Kuiper customers use to receive broadband service. 
  6. How many satellites will Project Kuiper have: Project Kuiper’s initial satellite constellation design includes 3,236 satellites. The term “constellation” refers to a group of similar satellites working together with tightly coordinated movements to achieve a common purpose —in this case, providing reliable broadband coverage.
  7. How fast will Project Kuiper's internet be: Our ultra-compact model provides speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), our standard model delivers up to 400 Mbps, and our largest model, which is intended for enterprise, government, and telecommunications applications, delivers up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).
  8. How much will Project Kuiper service cost: Amazon hasn’t announced pricing details yet, but affordability is a key principle of Project Kuiper. Amazon has a longstanding commitment to low prices, and lots of experience building popular low-cost devices. 

Here’s your first look at Project Kuiper’s low-cost customer terminals Everything you need to know about Project Kuiper, Amazon’s satellite broadband network