Amazon Looks to Low-Orbit Satellites to Improve Global ConnectivityAmazon Looks to Low-Orbit Satellites to Improve Global Connectivity

Upcoming DesignCon keynote presentation examines tech giant’s Project Kuiper, which is slated to start service this year.

Spencer Chin, Senior Editor

January 22, 2025

2 Min Read
A look at the Project Kuiper low-orbit satellite manufacturing plant in Kirkland, Wa.
Amazon is building the low-orbit satellites for its Project Kuiper global connectivity effort at a state-of-the-art factory in Kirkland, Wa.Amazon

To most of us, Amazon is an online marketplace that promises prompt delivery of all types of products. But to achieve this, the company has been and will continue to be a major technology developer and user.

At the DesignCon show in Santa Clara, Calif., on Thursday,  January 30th , Amazon will deliver a morning keynote presentation titled, “Enabling Global Connectivity with Low Earth Orbit Satellite Technology,” where the company will discuss Project Kuiper, Amazon’s large-scale attempt to launch affordable global Internet service. The presentation will be delivered by Nima Mahanfar, Director of Engineering at Amazon's Project Kuiper Systems.

According to Amazon, Project Kuiper is deploying a constellation of more than 3,200 low Earth orbit satellites to provide access to fast, reliable internet connectivity to customers all over the world. Designing the communications payload for these satellites requires the typical balancing act of size, weight, and power, but that is just one piece of a bigger puzzle to make best use of available bandwidth and spectrum across Project Kuiper’s network, while providing a service that is affordable for customers.

Attendees of the keynote will learn how Project Kuiper’s engineers approach the challenges of relaying customer data through space and continuously innovating to reduce costs and increase performance across the network. 

Related:Gearing Satellites Up for Space

According to a news release on Amazon’ website, the company is scaling up a new plant in Kirkland, Wa., that will perform manufacturing and testing of the satellites used in Project Kuiper. The 172,000-square-foot facility includes a wide variety of custom equipment required to manufacture and test space-grade hardware, including liquid nitrogen tanks that help quickly cool test chambers to temperatures found in space and robotic arms that help test and calibrate the advanced communications payload onboard each spacecraft. According to Amazon, many parts of the facility are clean spaces where workers require special attire to protect the sensitive electronics from electrostatic discharge.  

Amazon said in the news release that at peak capacity, the factory will enable Project Kuiper to build up to five satellites per day. The company has reportedly developed an innovative testing process that has reduced the test time from months to days for individual satellites.

More information on Project Kuiper can be found by viewing this video on Amazon’s site.

For more information on the Amazon Project Kuiper keynote and other DesignCon sessions, go here.

Related:Low-Earth-Orbit Satellites Must Minimize Astronomical Interference

About the Author

Spencer Chin

Senior Editor, Design News

Spencer Chin is a Senior Editor for Design News, covering the electronics beat, which includes semiconductors, components, power, embedded systems, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and other related subjects. He is always open to ideas for coverage. Spencer has spent many years covering electronics for brands including Electronic Products, Electronic Buyers News, EE Times, Power Electronics, and electronics360. You can reach him at [email protected] or follow him at @spencerchin.

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