Amazon Wants to Be a Satellite-Internet Powerhouse. It Has a Long Way to Go.

Amazon took a small step toward its goal of being a global satellite-internet provider that competes with SpaceX’s Starlink and other fleets. Some of the company’s biggest hurdles aren’t in orbit, but on the ground. Twenty-seven Amazon satellites were launched from the Florida coast to orbit on April 28, a mission handled by rocket company United Launch Alliance. To compete with established providers, Amazon needs to rapidly manufacture and deploy thousands more satellites on a narrow timeline. It also faces a set of challenges familiar to many companies pushing to scale up manufacturing rates. Leaders at Kuiper have been intensely focused on getting satellites ready for launches, but the initiative has faced setbacks as Amazon brought on new employees, including those staffing an additional shift, and developed production lines.