AmazonCompany announced Monday that its company plans to launch Project Kuiper’s first internet satellites during the fourth quarter in 2022.

Technology giant Amazon requested that the Federal Communications Commission launch its prototype satellites KuiperSat-1 & KuiperSat-2. Amazon claims the satellites will be launched with ABL SpaceIts RS1 rocket.

“We will soon be ready for you to see how [the satellites]Perform in space,” Rajeev, Amazon’s vice president of operations, stated in a statement. There is no alternative to on-orbit testing. We expect to gain a lot of knowledge given the risks and complexity involved in operating in this challenging environment.

Project Kuiper has been launched Amazon’s plan to build a network of 3,236 satellitesIn low Earth orbit, to offer high-speed Internet access to all parts of the globe. Amazon was authorized by the FCC to operate its Kuiper system last year. Amazon claims that it intends to invest more than $10B in Kuiper. Kuiper’s early service will start once Amazon has 578 orbiting satellites.

Amazon last week announced a partnership with VerizonTo collaborate with Telecom giants in the highly competitive market for high-speed satellite Internet.

Kuiper is poised to go toe-to-toe with SpaceX’s Starlink networkThis is the most advanced in the current generation of satellite broadband systems. There are many other networks in development at various stages, such as those from British-owned OneWeb BlackRock-backed Astranis satellite-to-smartphone specialist AST SpaceMobile Lockheed Martin’s partnership with start-up Omnispace, and Canadian satellite operator Telesat’s Lightspeed

Amazon’s Project Kuiper team is steadily growing. It now employs over 750 people, with “hundreds” more expected to join the company in the coming year. Amazon constructed a 219,900 square foot facility in Redmond Washington for testing and manufacturing the satellites. It plans to expand it by another 20,000.

Amazon also plans to conduct satellite dish testing at McCulloch in Texas for early customers. According to Amazon, the antenna will be a low-cost antenna that provides reliable service for a lower price than older antennas. conducted early testing of prototype equipment late last year

Amazon claims that the satellites will connect with Texas antennas up to five times daily.

Kuiper has long been worried about the effects of large networks of hundreds to thousands of satellites in the night sky. Similar to the “sun visors” that SpaceX added to Starlink satellites to reduce brightnessAmazon claims that one of two Kuiper satellite prototypes will include a sunshade in order to assist us with understanding whether this is an efficient way to decrease reflectivity, and thus reduce its effect on ground-based optical telescopes.

Amazon explained that the team will be collecting data to measure reflectivity and sharing any findings with the Astronomy Community following the mission.

Amazon also stressed that the Kuiper prototypes of its Kuiper rockets were designed to completely burn in the atmosphere after their life span. This is to reduce the possibility of space debris being added to orbit.

ABL works towards continued success the inaugural launch of its RS1 rocket from Alaska by the end of this year.The company previously stated plans to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, and Pacific Spaceport Complex (Alaska), making Cape Canaveral the third planned launch location. ABL is yet to announce which Florida launch site it will use.

ABL claims that Amazon has added 14 new customers to their contract backlog.

ABL CEO Harry O’Hanley released the following statement: “Amazon will play an important role in space infrastructure’s next generation, and we’re proud that we’ve been chosen as Kuiper launch partners, especially for these crucial early flights.”

ABL’s deal is second Amazon contract with a launch company. A similar agreement was signed earlier in the year. United Launch Alliance for nine Kuiper launches.