Amazon Eyes 2022 Launch of 2 Broadband Satellite Experiments

Amazon asked for FCC OK to put up two Ka-band satellites by Q4 2022 as an early step toward its non-geostationary orbit broadband constellation Kuiper. KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 "are an important step in the development process," letting it test the communications and network technology to be used in the final satellite design and validate launch operations and mission management procedures, it blogged Monday. In an experimental license application, Amazon said Kuiper would orbit at 590 kilometers altitude. It said there would be two launches via ABL Space Systems. It said it's designing and testing Kuiper at a 219,000-square-foot facility in Redmond, and is adding 20,000 additional square feet of capacity. It said Kuiper employs more than 750 and plans to add "hundreds more" in 2022.