Amazon wants to deploy a constellation of satellites that the company says will provide reliable internet service to underserved communities around the world.
Known as Project Kuiper, the satellites will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance rockets.
The company said production of satellites will begin at a facility in Washington state later this year. They will then be shipped to the new 100,000-square-foot facility in Florida and integrated with launch vehicles. Amazon noted that this is a $120 million investment that will create jobs on the Space Coast.
“We are proud to continue our investment in Florida and to join the historic Space Coast community as we invest in people and facilities to support Project Kuiper, Amazon's satellite broadband network," said Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy and community engagement at Amazon.
Amazon said it will launch two prototype satellites in the coming months. The mission will serve as a test run for its network.
Users on the ground will need an outdoor antenna, also known as a customer terminal. The antenna communicates with the overhead satellites to provide internet connectivity.
Amazon unveiled three terminals recently with different speed capabilities. A price point for customers has not been set. However, the company said it expects to produce the terminals for less than $400 each.
Amazon joins a growing satellite internet industry. SpaceX has already launched more than 4,000 Starlink satellites into space, according to Space.com.
