How Amazon's Kuiper compares to SpaceX's Starlink

Many people on Earth, including right here in the United States, still lack access to reliable and affordable internet. Amazon is seeking to change this as it gets into the satellite internet business, promising fast, reliable, and affordable broadband internet to consumers and businesses alike.

If an internet constellation sounds familiar, it's because we see parts of one launched sometimes twice a week from the Space Coast. SpaceX is already well on the way to having its Starlink constellation delivering internet across the Earth, with service also available out at sea.

These two companies — Amazon founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos and SpaceX founded by Elon Musk — will be competing in the same field, not unlike Bezos' Blue Origin already is up against SpaceX in the development of launch vehicles.

And in both cases, SpaceX has a head start. According to Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, SpaceX currently has 5,941 functioning Starlink satellites in orbit. It's been launching Starlink satellites since 2019. And its Falcon 9 rocket, which lifts Starlink satellites into space, has become a workhorse not only for SpaceX but for NASA and others as well.

What is Amazon's plan to catch up

Amazon is spending $10 billion to get 3,236 satellites into low-Earth orbit.

This is Project Kuiper − an internet constellation named for the Kuiper Belt, which is the ring of icy objects which orbit the Sun far out beyond Neptune.

However, this Kuiper will be orbiting Earth, and much closer than traditional satellites.

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The mega company aims to begin launching the constellation later this year. While Bezos still owns a large share of the company, he stepped down as CEO in 2021 to head his space company, Blue Origin. Enlisted in the establishment of the Kuiper constellation is no other than Blue Origin. The space company is currently working on its heavy-lifting, reusable rocket, New Glenn, which stood vertical on Launch Complex 36 at the Cape back in March.

However, Amazon will be seeking launch providers other than solely Blue Origin to deliver their Kuiper constellation. The company is even seeking to launch outside of the U.S., with 18 of their launches book on Arianespace’s Ariane 6 rocket, which will liftoff from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana.

Meanwhile, SpaceX's Starlink continues to rapidly grow; launching multiple times a week − sometimes from both coasts. Starlink does not contract out, only using SpaceX rockets for delivery.

What is Amazon's Project Kuiper?

Two prototype satellites for the project were launched atop a ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral on October 6 of last year, and performed as expected, Amazon said. Amazon employees testing the service were stated to be able to browse the internet and even shop on Amazon.com.

With 80 launches already secured, Amazon has enlisted more than just Blue Origin. Amazon has stated partnerships with ULA, Arianespace, and even SpaceX. The company claims the 80 launches will put into place a large part of the constellation.

Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy and community engagement, told the National Space Club Florida Committee.

"I don't have an exact time frame for the next few launches, but it will in the coming months ... Our FCC license states that half of our 3,236 satellites should be in air by July of 2026. So that timeframe is what we're working backwards from," he said.

How Amazon Kuiper compares to SpaceX Starlink

While their services may appear similar, Huseman said: “There’s room for multiple winners. Multiple offering. At Amazon, we pride ourselves on having high quality, affordable services and devices."

While Starlink is launched strictly on SpaceX − typically reusable Falcon 9 − rockets, Kuiper will be launched with multiple rocket companies, including on SpaceX rockets.

Where Starlink and Kuiper also share similarities are in their low-Earth orbit. In order to achieve low-latency internet performance, Amazon's Kuiper constellation will orbit at a lower altitude than traditional satellites, which orbit at a high 35,000+ km (21,748 miles) above Earth. Kuiper will orbit at 590 km (366.6 miles), 610 km (379 miles), and 630 km (391.46 miles) above the Earth.

Meanwhile, Starlink typically orbits at an even lower 550 km (341.75 miles) according to the Starlink company website. These lower orbits allow for an increase in the speed of connection between the satellites and connection points of users below.

While Starlink boasts a 40-220+ Mbps download speed for their business plan, Amazon states that depending on plan, download speeds will range from 100-400 Mbps. Their highest plan, for government and telecommunications, will boast speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

Cost of Starlink and cost of Kuiper

“Affordability is job one for us,” said Rajeev Badyal, the VP of Technology for Project Kuiper, in a video uploaded to the company’s website via YouTube.

While they are aiming to keep costs low, Amazon currently has not revealed the price for consumers and businesses.

For now, those seeking satellite internet have the option of Starlink, which comes with a price tag of $120/month for its residential plan, and $150/month for mobile plan. Both of these costs come after an initial $599 equipment payment. The equipment is what receives the internet signal from the Starlink satellites.

Starlink also offers a boat internet service starting at $150 per month after an initial hardware cost of $ 2,500.

SpaceX and Amazon jobs in Florida

Both companies are becoming active players in Florida's space economy. While SpaceX long has been operating in Florida, Amazon is breaking ground this year on a satellite facility on Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. By the end of 2024, these satellites will begin to arrive in the Florida processing facility, where they will be prepared for launch with the addition of custom dispensers from Beyond Gravity.

For this reason, Huseman states they are going to be hiring for at least 50 positions, which start at a yearly pay rate of $80,000.

“We’re going to have a variety of jobs there. You can see now if you go to Amazon.jobs and search, there are a variety of jobs that are already listed,” said Huseman.

Bezos' Blue Origin has an established presence on the Space Coast as New Glenn moves towards its first launch. With their rocket factory on Space Commerce Way, Blue Origin is continuously hiring for local jobs. Their website lists jobs from welders to engineers to the occasional non-technical office jobs.

Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to post openings for jobs at its Cape Canaveral site. The company has job listings ranging from security officers, to welders, to many different categories of engineers.

Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Amazon's Kuiper soon to launch alongside SpaceX Starlink from Cape