Amazon wants FCC to reject SpaceX's plan for 1M satellites
What's the story
Amazon has urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reject SpaceX's ambitious plan for a constellation of one million satellites. The tech giant's Project Kuiper argues that the proposal lacks critical technical and orbital details, is speculative in nature, and would take centuries to deploy. This could lead to a monopolization of orbital resources, Amazon warns in its 17-page filing with the FCC.
Application scrutiny
Amazon questions FCC's consideration of SpaceX's proposal
Amazon has questioned why the FCC is even considering SpaceX's proposal. The company noted that "the Commission has long refused to process speculative, conceptual, or otherwise incomplete filings." It also said that if approved, SpaceX's application would force other low-Earth orbit operators to plan around a constellation that may never exist. This could trigger a race for orbital resources.
Deployment doubts
Deployment timeline raises concerns for Amazon
Amazon has also raised concerns over the timeline for deploying SpaceX's proposed million-satellite constellation. The company said it would take centuries to deploy, even if all global launch capacity were dedicated to it. This is because SpaceX only provides partial information for three satellites in three "representative planes" and omits any description of the full constellation it seeks authority to deploy and operate.
Parameter concerns
RF characteristics and orbital information lacking in SpaceX's proposal
Amazon has also taken issue with SpaceX's omission of RF characteristics, noting SpaceX said it "intends to operate in many different orbital planes with a range of antenna gains." The company also questioned the lack of crucial orbital information from SpaceX, such as the full set of orbital planes it intends to occupy and the number of satellites it proposes to operate in each plane.
Safety concerns
Collision risk assessment not addressed by SpaceX
Amazon has also flagged SpaceX's failure to provide complete information on how its proposed deployment would operate safely and sustainably. The company noted that there was no detailed assessment of collision risk with operators in similar orbits, whether any components of the planned data-center space stations will survive reentry, or how SpaceX intends to model and reserve fuel for avoidance maneuvers.
Disposal doubts
Disposal method of proposed satellites also flagged by Amazon
Amazon has also questioned SpaceX's "chosen disposal method" for its proposed constellation. The company said it was unclear whether SpaceX plans to dispose of these one million satellites in or beyond geostationary satellite orbit graveyard orbits. It also questioned how this method would meet the Commission's 99% reliability threshold, considering that even at a 99% success rate, thousands of satellites could fail to be safely disposed of.