Amazon’s Starlink rival, Project Kuiper, is looking to operate its satellite internet service on moving cars, ships, and planes.In a Monday FCC filing, Project Kuiper requested to operate its upcoming satellite internet system in vehicles that are “in motion,” including on land, sea, and air. It wants a “blanket license” to operate satellite dishes in moving vehicles across the US and in international waters. In 2022, SpaceX received a similar license for Starlink, which has since expanded to providing satellite internet service to passenger planes, cruise ships, and RVs. In Amazon’s case, Project Kuiper says the proposed license will apply to three satellite dish models: the ultra-compact model, which can offer download speeds up to 100Mbps; the standard model that can reach speeds up to 400Mbps; and “a larger, high-throughput model,” which can deliver 1Gbps downloads.
Kuiper dishes (Credit: Amazon)
Project Kuiper plans to sell users similar dish models in fixed locations. “Amazon’s ESIMs [Earth stations in motion] will be in many respects electrically identical to its fixed CTs [customer terminals],” the company added. For example, both dish classes use the same flat-panel antenna and radio frequency subsystems.
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However, the in-motion satellite dishes will incorporate enhancements “to account for the unique conditions of their use,” Amazon says. This includes preventing the in-motion satellite dishes from generating radio interference. Amazon plans on offering the Project Kuiper service to beta customers by year’s end, potentially supplying consumers, businesses, and governments with another alternative to Starlink. But Amazon has yet to launch the first production satellites for Project Kuiper, although it’s aiming to do so in the coming months. The FCC has also imposed a deadline of July 2026 to launch half of its planned 3,200-satellite constellation.
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