Amazon to build $120 million facility in Florida to prep Kuiper internet satellites for launch

Amazon will make investments $120 million to construct a satellite tv for pc processing facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as the corporate prepares to launch the primary satellites for its Project Kuiper web community, the tech big introduced Friday.

The facility shall be constructed on the Launch and Landing Facility that was as soon as the place NASA landed Space Shuttle missions. The LLF is now leased and operated by Space Florida, which serves because the state’s house financial system improvement arm.

“I am thrilled that Amazon is the first major tenant to locate [at the LLF],” Frank DiBello, CEO of Space Florida, instructed CNBC. “It’s a testament to the fact, though, that we view the whole state as an ecosystem supporting space.”

Project Kuiper is Amazon’s plan to construct a community of three,236 satellites in low Earth orbit, to supply high-speed web entry wherever on this planet. The 100,000-square-foot processing facility will function one of many last steps earlier than the satellites attain orbit, getting ready them for launches on the rockets of the United Launch Alliance and Jeff Bezos’ individually owned Blue Origin.

“We’re going to finish construction at the end of 2024. We’ll be processing our first production satellites through this facility in early 2025,” Steve Metayer, Amazon’s vp of Kuiper manufacturing operations, instructed CNBC.

Last yr, Amazon introduced the most important company rocket deal within the trade’s historical past to launch its satellites. It has booked 77 launches – offers that included choices for extra when wanted – from quite a lot of corporations to deploy the satellites quick sufficient to satisfy regulatory necessities.

Amazon hopes to launch its first two Kuiper prototype satellites “in the coming months,” the corporate stated – however that relies on when the rocket that the spacecraft would trip on turns into prepared.

According to Metayer, Amazon nonetheless plans to fly the prototypes on the inaugural launch of ULA’s Vulcan rocket, which was not too long ago delayed to the fourth quarter. Although Amazon “can work with” the brand new Vulcan timeline, Metayer stated the corporate is “looking at all options available to us to get the prototypes up in a timely manner.”

The Kuiper prototypes have already moved rides as soon as earlier than, shifting from ABL’s RS1 rocket over to Vulcan.

Project Kuiper at present employs greater than 1,400 folks, Amazon stated. The firm’s most important Kuiper services are close to Seattle – within the cities of Redmond and Kirkland. Amazon has different areas in San Diego, Austin, Texas, New York City and Washington, D.C.

“We go where the talent is,” Metayer stated.