Amazon announced Project Kuiper in 2021 as a competitor to Starlink. They plan to offer internet services using satellites that are located in low earth orbit (LEO). Amazon has now announced they will launch two Project Kuiper satellite prototypes today.
KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 will be launched using United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket. It will reach a height of 500 kilometers from the earth's surface with several tests to be performed to see the capabilities of the system. If all goes well, it will take Amazon six years to launch all 3200 satellites required by Project Kuiper.
The first commercial satellite is targeting launch in the first half of 2024 with customers able to enjoy their services before the end of 2024. The advantages of satellite internet systems are proven by Starlink for bringing broadband services to areas without internet. In Ukraine for example, Starlink became the only mode of communication by front-line troops operating in bomb-ravaged areas.
The European Union also wants to develop the same Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) service so that there is no need to rely on services from outside.