Amazon’s Project Kuiper Satellites to Include Speed-Boosting Laser Links
Amazon has announced that its upcoming Project Kuiper internet satellites will feature a key speed-boosting technology. The company successfully tested the laser link technology during its recent Protoflight mission, where laser links were used to connect satellites to each other. Traditionally, satellites are limited to sending data between the spacecraft and the ground, but laser links enable data transmission between satellites.
Optical Inter-Satellite Links for Improved Speed and Latency
The optical inter-satellite links (OISLs) on Amazon’s Kuiper satellites serve as a means to transmit data through space. This technology, also implemented by Elon Musk’s SpaceX in later generations of its Starlink satellites, enhances both the speed and latency of the networks. Rajeev Badyal, Amazon’s Project Kuiper Vice President of Technology, stated that with optical inter-satellite links, Project Kuiper will effectively operate as a mesh network in space.
Successful Laser Link Demonstrations
Amazon’s pair of Kuiper prototype satellites have completed multiple successful laser link demonstrations. During these tests, data was transferred at a rate of 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) over a distance of nearly 621 miles between the spacecraft. Amazon highlighted that the orbital laser mesh network of Kuiper will be able to move data approximately 30% faster than if it traveled the same distance via terrestrial fiber optic cables, thanks to the faster speed of light in space.
Future Plans for Project Kuiper
Amazon plans to incorporate laser links in the production of its commercial Kuiper satellites from the beginning. The network is expected to consist of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit. To date, Amazon has ordered 97 rocket launches to deploy its satellites in the first half of next year. The company anticipates investing over $10 billion in building the Kuiper satellite internet network.
With the inclusion of laser links, Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to revolutionize satellite communication and provide high-speed internet access to even the most remote areas of the world.
