Analysts at MoffettNathanson Research (MN), in a deep dive into prospects for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband mega-constellation, are asking some tough questions. They point out that as well as being head-to-head with Elon Musk’s Starlink, along with other would-be players in the orbital broadband space, Amazon is also facing considerable criticism from its own shareholders […]
A shareholder in Amazon (the Cleveland Bakers & Teamsters Pension Fund/CB&T) is suing the company alleging that Amazon snubbed potential launch contracts from SpaceX because of personal animosity between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. Amazon, in a statement, said “the claims in this lawsuit are completely without merit, and we look forward to showing that […]
A pension fund which is a shareholder in Amazon has filed a lawsuit against the directors of Amazon alleging that they failed to consider SpaceX as a launch supplier for the Project Kuiper broadband by satellite scheme. The writ, filed in Delaware’s Chancery Court, argues that the directors “acted in bad faith” in approving the […]
The Amazon-funded Project Kuiper mega-constellation of more than 3,000 low Earth orbiting broadband satellites, is promising download speeds of up to 400 Mb/s, significantly ahead of SpaceX’s Starlinks. Amazon has earmarked some $10 billion (€9.24bn) for the scheme. Most Starlink users report download speeds of around 100-150 Mb/s. There is no quoted certainty, but users […]
The Amazon-backed Project Kuiper low Earth orbiting (LEO) broadband satellite system moved a major step closer with the establishment of a satellite processing and test facility in Florida. Kuiper is investing $120 million in a 100,000 sq ft factory which is being built near the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Kuiper received its FCC licence […]
Arianespace has provided a detailed timetable for the introduction of the new Ariane 6 version. The final Ariane 5 rocket will launch on July 4th. Ariane 6 is already extremely late and the original objective was for the rocket to seamlessly take over the launch missions from Ariane 5. While managers have stressed that there […]
SpaceX, already the world’s busiest supplier of rocket launch capacity, says it can do more and could increase its launch frequency. A series of expert panels at the recent Satellite 2023 event in Washington, DC, talked about anticipated shortages in launch capacity especially in the 2024-2027 time frame. The decision by the Jeff Bezos-backed Project […]
OneWeb already has some two-thirds of its 648 broadband constellation in orbit while Amazon’s Kuiper has yet to start launching its initial fleet of 3,236 satellites. Elon Musk’s Starlink has launched 2,706 craft into their target low Earth orbits. Some of the Starlinks have failed but OneWeb and Kuiper have agreed a set of planned […]
Arianespace has been silent on any launch delays for its important Ariane 6 rocket. However, the director general of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher, told the BBC that the new rocket will not fly until some time next year. Critics have suggested that Aschbacher did not attempt to disguise his words with phrases like […]
Inmarsat has warned that space is getting increasingly crowded with “dangerous levels of space debris from satellite constellations planned by Elon Musk’s Starlink, Amazon, Chinese operators and others”. Inmarsat CEO Rajeev Suri welcomed innovation in satellite constellations in low Earth orbit but added that there should be better industry and regulatory co-ordination as they are […]