Home / Science / Europe's Mega-Rocket Deploys Bezos's Satellites
Europe's Mega-Rocket Deploys Bezos's Satellites
13 Feb
Summary
- Ariane 6 rocket launched 32 Amazon satellites on Thursday.
- The launch supports Amazon's internet constellation rivaling Starlink.
- This marked the first launch of the Ariane 64 variant.
The European Space Agency's Ariane 6 rocket commenced its mission on Thursday, deploying 32 satellites for Amazon's burgeoning low-Earth orbit constellation. This significant launch event marks a key step in Jeff Bezos's ambitious project to rival Elon Musk's Starlink internet service.
The heavy-lift Ariane 6, specifically the Ariane 64 variant, blasted off from French Guiana carrying the satellites for Amazon's internet connectivity network. This mission was the inaugural flight for the Ariane 64, boasting a payload capacity of over 20 tons, double that of previous versions.
Amazon intends to establish a constellation comprising more than 3,200 satellites to provide internet access. Thursday's launch was the first of 18 scheduled missions to support this rollout, underscoring Europe's commitment to its space ambitions with the Ariane 6 as a central component.
