Project Kuiper changed its seven-year code name and 13 November officially became Amazon Leo, as the company moves closer to launching its first broadband services from low Earth orbit (LEO) already next year. Хоча кодова назва була натхненна поясом Койпера – кільцем астероїдів у зовнішній Сонячній системі, – у компанії заявили, що ребрендинг є простим посиланням на орбіту, де вже розгорнуто 153 from the planned over 3200 satellites.
An Amazon representative told SpaceNews, that the Kuiper Government Solutions division was also renamed Leo for Government. The representative declined to elaborate, when the next batch of satellites is scheduled to be launched, враховуючи дедлайн Федеральної комісії зі зв’язку США (FCC), який вимагає розгортання половини мережі – 1616 супутників – до липня 2026 year.
Рікі Фрімен, президент підрозділу для державних клієнтів, 15 outlined plans for another launch this year in September, and the beginning of the provision of services is expected in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany and France until the end of March. SpaceX has already completed all three contracted missions to the constellation as part of Amazon's multibillion-dollar deal with several launch providers.
Five United Launch Alliance rockets are planned to be used (ULA) Atlas 5, after that, as they have already launched three batches of satellites into orbit this year. The rest of the graphics depends on the new missiles, which have not yet proven their reliability in mass production, namely: 38 ULA Vulcan Centaur rockets; 18 launches Arianespace Ariane 6; to 27 launched New Glenn from Blue Origin.
Vulcan returned to flight in August with a successful mission for the US Space Force after a second-degree anomaly on its previous launch last year. The second flight of the New Glenn was also successful. Meanwhile, Arianespace said in October, that Ariane's maiden flight 6, which will be used for Amazon Leo launches, transferred to 2026 year.
Source: https://spacenews.com