Amazon signs giant contracts for satellite launches with 3 companies

Amazon has signed up with three different launchers to put the thousands of satellites in its Kuiper project to provide high-speed internet into orbit.

AFP/File

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1 min

The e-commerce giant has just announced on Tuesday April 5 that it has ordered rocket launches from three companies, including Arianespa, to put into orbit the thousands of satellites of its Kuiper project to provide high-speed internet. 

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With our correspondent in Washington,

The total amount of the three contracts is unknown, but their scale is impressive.

This is simply 83 rocket launches in the next few years.

As you are never better served than by yourself, Amazon entrusts 37 launches, 15 of which are optional to Blue Origin, another company of its owner, the American billionaire Jeff Bezos.

And since nothing is left to chance, Blue Origin will also supply the engines for another launcher, ALU, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed-Martin, which will carry out 38 launches.

The third player is Arianespace.

The company will operate 18 launches from its base in Kourou, French Guiana, with its future Ariane 6 rocket, i.e. almost tripling the order book.

It is quite simply the biggest contract ever signed by the European pitcher, who is the only non-American in the lot.

We are very happy, very proud and this success is the success of the entire Ariane sector.

It's all the more spectacular since Ariane6 hasn't flown yet, but I think what's important for Amazon is to address established players who know their job and have proven themselves.

Jean-Marc Astorg, Director of Strategy at CNES

Anne Verdaguer

Amazon therefore decides to accelerate its diversification and compete with the Starlink project of another billionaire, Elon Musk, who has taken the lead with his company SpaceX.

Nearly 1,500 Starlink satellites have already been launched and the company has already distinguished itself by supplying thousands of terminals to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

A stunt that could not go unanswered from his rival. 

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