NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — The high-stakes, taxpayer-funded space race between tech tycoons Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos has now extended into the realm of satellite-based internet services. In a significant move, Bezos’ Amazon recently launched its first test satellites for a proposed internet service, marking the company’s entry into a competitive field with SpaceX‘s Starlink broadband network.
The inaugural step in Amazon’s ambitious plan involved the launch of two test satellites aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Amazon’s broader objective is to establish global internet coverage using a constellation of 3,236 satellites encircling Earth, with plans to commence the service by the end of 2024.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX holds a substantial advantage over Amazon in this endeavor. SpaceX initiated its Starlink project by deploying test satellites in 2018 and operational satellites in 2019. Since then, SpaceX has launched more than 5,000 Starlink satellites, utilizing its Falcon rockets from launch facilities in Florida and California.
Notably, Europe‘s Eutelsat OneWeb has also ventured into the satellite internet space, with around 600 satellites currently in orbit.
The rivalry between Musk and Bezos in the field of space exploration, often referred to as the ‘Billionaire’s Space Race,’ has captured widespread attention. Both tech moguls share a deep passion for space, a fascination that stems from their upbringing immersed in science fiction.
The recent feud between Musk and Bezos, documented in Musk’s biography by Walter Isaacson, has further fueled their competitive spirit. Musk characterized Bezos as a ‘dilettante’ in space exploration, critiquing his level of commitment to Blue Origin, Bezos’ rocket company.
Bezos, in response, cited sources claiming that Musk rarely possessed the level of knowledge he purported to have, according to Isaacson’s account.
This rivalry extends beyond satellite internet services, with Musk’s SpaceX and Bezos’ Blue Origin vying for space tourism supremacy and lucrative contracts with NASA. Bezos secured a $3.4 billion NASA contract to aid in lunar exploration, while SpaceX secured a $3 billion contract for its lunar aspirations.
Amazon’s satellite internet project, named Project Kuiper, underwent a shift in launch plans. Originally intended for ULA’s Vulcan rocket, it switched to the Atlas V due to Vulcan’s delay, which is expected to last until the end of the year.
The Federal Communications Commission stipulated that at least half of the planned Kuiper satellites should be operational by 2026, with full deployment by 2029. Amazon has already reserved 77 launches from ULA, Blue Origin, and Arianespace to accomplish this ambitious satellite deployment.
As the space race between billionaires escalates, the satellite internet sector is poised for intense competition, potentially revolutionizing global connectivity in the coming years.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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