Project Kuiper in jeopardy: Amazon may fail to launch its own satellite internet service

Amazon's ambitious satellite internet project to rival SpaceX's Starlink network has hit a snag.

Here's What We Know

Project Kuiper has encountered serious difficulties.

According to the publication Bloomberg, Amazon may lose the licence issued by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), because the corporation absolutely does not meet the stated deadlines and quantity.

Thus, only a few dozen of the required 1,600 satellites, which should be put into orbit by the summer of 2026, are ready. The company has run into production problems due to a shortage of components and this, we should note, even before Trump imposed huge tariff duties. As a result, it is now producing a maximum of one satellite per day out of the required five.

The plan was for Amazon to send one or two rockets into orbit every week, but that has proven impossible. And if in a year's time there are not enough satellites in orbit, Amazon will lose its licence and Project Kuiper will fail.

In an attempt to make up for lost time, Amazon has introduced 24/7 shifts, but whether this will help is a huge question, especially given the influence of their main competitor, Elon Musk, his White House connections and the unpredictable actions of the new US administration.

Source: Bloomberg