Amazon Wants to Provide Internet all Over the World Through Satellites

Amazon Wants to Provide Internet all Over the World Through Satellites

Gabriella Parrella, Staff Writer

Amazon, Jeff Bezos’ company, is working on Project Kuiper, which would put 3,236 satellites into orbit to provide high-speed internet to any point on the globe. However, Amazon has not revealed a timeline or even a set cost to fully deploy the network. This initial proposal is similar to at least four other companies building and launching high-speed internet satellites, especially that of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Amazon’s plan to launch thousands of internet satellites to connect billions of people around the world represents a serious and underappreciated arrival in the space business. ARK Invest analyst Sam Korus told CNBC that, “global internet is a huge opportunity, especially for someone like Amazon with cloud services.” Industry executives say that Amazon’s satellite plan “could be revolutionary.”  More than a dozen space industry executives are either considering partnerships or competition with Bezos’ space ventures. These executives have experience across the entire supply chain of the space business – from building rockets to operating satellites and everything in between.

Not all parts of the world have internet; by providing this service, the globalized economy will grow, and globalization—the interconnectedness of the world—will further spread. There is a clear motive for Amazon, as well. If everyone is able to access the internet, the market for e-commerce stores such as Amazon) doubles. With a larger market, Amazon can even create new businesses that will be sure to thrive. Launching satellites, even though costly at first, seems like a good idea to acquire for four billion new customers. Bezos’ plan is a win-win – more money for his company and more resources for the underdeveloped parts of the world.