Amazon and SpaceX receive millions from NASA for space communication systems

Several satellite companies, including Amazon’s space division and SpaceX, have received $278.5 million in satellite contracts from NASA. The companies must use this to demonstrate communication systems for space.

NASA increasingly seeks to rely on private space companies for its operations and therefore seeks to boost the commercial space sector, writes Reuters news agency. The US space agency will eventually its own TDRSS network for spacecraft communications with systems from private companies, and has therefore made these contracts available.

Amazon received $67 million from NASA. That company is currently working on its Project Kuiper constellation, with which the company aims to make broadband internet available in hard-to-reach areas. In the long term, Project Kuiper should consist of more than 3000 satellites. The company will launch its first two prototype satellites later this year. SpaceX’s Starlink division, which already has a functional satellite network, received $70 million from the space agency. The other participants are Inmarsat, SES, Telesat and ViaSat.

Currently, NASA uses its own Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System for communication with spacecraft, such as the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that carries astronauts to the ISS, Reuters writes. With the contracts, the space agency may want to replace that system with that of commercial companies, partly to limit costs.

The space agency says it also wants the space industry to “join in” so that space communication methods are also available to other space customers, and not just to NASA. That’s what the head of NASA’s communications services project tells Reuters. All companies that have been awarded a contract must have their demonstrations completed by 2025, NASA says.