Amazon's internet satellites made manoeuvres in orbit using advanced ion engines

KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 are Amazon's first batch of internet satellites in orbit. They recently performed manoeuvres that allowed them to test their ion engines.

Here's What We Know

The internet satellites were sent into orbit in October 2023 as part of the Protoflight mission, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Centre. United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V rocket was used for this mission.

Amazon is using KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2 for hardware and software testing. The first working internet satellites will go into orbit next year, and in total the company has been given permission to deploy 3,236 spacecraft over about three years.

Mass production of satellites will begin as early as this year. Amazon intends to manufacture the vehicles at its factory in Kirkland, California. It is expected that the company will be able to create four satellites every day.

Project Kuiper's vehicles are distinguished by its propulsion system. It uses krypton as a working body and runs on solar energy. The ions produced create thrust by accelerating in an electric field. The thrust provides manoeuvring in space and will allow the satellites to be deorbited when they reach the end of their service life.