“Success in Space: Amazon’s Project Kuiper’s Lightning-Fast Satellite Communication Technology Validated”

Amazon’s Project Kuiper successfully validated key technology that will increase throughput and reduce latency for customers using its satellite internet service, the company said Thursday. That technology is called “optical inter-satellite links” (OISL), a type of optical communication that uses infrared lasers to send data between spacecraft on orbit. OISL has been around for a while to enable inter-satellite communications, but earlier generations were limited to linking just two satellites at a time. Kuiper’s satellites will be able to connect with many other spacecraft simultaneously, which will form a mesh network in space. “With optical inter-satellite links across our satellite constellation, Project Kuiper will effectively operate as a mesh network in space,” Kuiper VP of technology Rajeev Badyal said in a statement.

Amazon’s Project Kuiper has achieved a major milestone in their satellite internet service, successfully testing a crucial technology that will enhance user experience. On Thursday, the company announced the successful validation of “optical inter-satellite links” (OISL) which uses infrared lasers to transfer data between spacecraft in orbit.

Previous generations of OISL were limited to connecting only two satellites, but Project Kuiper’s technology will allow for multiple simultaneous connections, creating a mesh network in space. This capability is vital as it will increase data transfer speed by 30% compared to traditional terrestrial fiber optic cables.

The development of this advanced OISL was not without its challenges. For these lasers to work effectively, they need to have a precise and focused beam that can reach up to 1,616 miles while both spacecraft are moving at incredibly high speeds. However, Amazon’s in-house team was able to overcome these obstacles with their innovative optics and control system.

During numerous demonstrations since the launch of prototypes in October, Amazon successfully maintained 100 gigabits per second links over a distance of 620 miles using their OISL technology. According to the company, these tests have validated the final component of Project Kuiper’s advanced communications architecture, paving the way for its implementation in their first production satellites, set to launch in 2024.

“With optical inter-satellite links across our satellite constellation, Project Kuiper will effectively operate as a mesh network in space,” stated Rajeev Badyal, VP of technology for Kuiper. “This system is designed fully in-house to optimize for speed, cost, and reliability, and the entire architecture has worked flawlessly from the very start.”

As of last month, Amazon had successfully validated all systems and subsystems on their two prototype satellites. However, this is the first time they have disclosed details about the advanced OISL architecture.

The company expects to begin customer trials in the latter half of 2024, with the goal of having their full constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth Orbit by July 2029, as per their license with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.