Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 20:17
Amazon has hired a maximum of 83 rocket launches from three different suppliers to display his satellite constellation Kuiper High Speed Internet Service Project. The similarities with Arianespace, Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance represent the largest commercial acquisition of launch vehicles in history, Amazon said in a statement.
The Kuiper project is intended to offer a high -speed internet from space, compete with similar offers from the Space X Starlink Service and the OneB Company located in the United Kingdom. The license of the Federal Commission for Communications of the United States of Amazon requires that the Kuiper project at least half of its planned constellation of 3,236 satellites for July 2026, and at least 90% of his constellation for July 2029. None of the three Raketten Amazon, says Bloomberg.
Blue Origin, the space company made by the founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos, provides twelve launches for Kuiper, with an option for fifteen extra releases, using his new Glenn Rocket. New Glenn has experienced several delays, including a recent one who will prevent him from flying this year as planned, said Jarrett Jones, senior vice president of Blue Origin, last month at the Satellite 2022 conference.
United Launch Alliance has awarded the majority of the Amazon contract, 38 throws, with its new Vulcan Centaur Rocket. ULA, based in Centennial, Colorado, is a joint activity of Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. ULA is planting a first flight for Vulcan this year, a spokeswoman said. Last year, Amazon Nine Ula hired in service with the help of his former Atlas V Rocket as part of a separate agreement for the Kuiper -Satellites project.
Releases in 2022
According to the newest gigantic similarities of the retail trade, Arianespace will offer 18 releases with his Ariane 6 Rocket, which is still under development. The European Space Consortium in Paris is planning the first test flight of Ariane 6 at the end of this year and the start -up of the commercial service from 2023. Arianespace and ULA are among the most established launch suppliers in industry. Blue Origin is a relatively new participant who works on entering commercial freight.
Blue Origin did not say when your new Glenn Rocket starts testing tests or commercial service. “We are making great progress in New Glenn and we will fly when we are ready,” said spokeswoman Sara Blask in an e -mail.
New Glenn will work with seven BE-4 engines made of liquid liquid/liquid gas acid, the same model that ULA has chosen to stimulate the first phase of his Vulcan vehicle. Blue Origin has supplied some BE-4 engines to ULA for proof and on March 22 at the Satellite Conference “beautifully worked” in the test benches, said ULA-executing director Tory Bruno.
At the end of last year, the Kuiper project plans for the launch of two satellite prototypes in 2022 from Florida with the new RS1 RS1 rocket from ABL Space Systems.
