GoKawiilA United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is on the launch pad carrying Amazon's Project Kuiper internet network satellites, which are expected to eventually rival Elon Musk's Starlink system, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., April 9, 2025.
Amazon has asked federal regulators to approve a request to launch up to 5,105 internet satellites as part of a constellation that will provide direct-to-device connectivity.
The company first telegraphed plans to launch a D2D network in April, when Amazon announced that it would acquire satellite operator Globalstar in a deal worth about $11.6 billion. D2D networks provide connectivity straight to smartphones or other devices via satellites in place of traditional cell towers.
In a Saturday application with the Federal Communications Commission, Amazon said its D2D network would combine its existing infrastructure with Globalstar's satellites and spectrum.
Amazon is targeting users who are "unserved or underserved" by existing wireless providers, the filing states. Other applications include supporting emergency operations like search and rescue, and extending connectivity for worksites, fleets and supply chains that are remote or harder for terrestrial networks to reach.
"Amazon looks forward to delivering on the promise of D2D connectivity, including to the millions of people living, traveling and working in places beyond the reach of existing networks today," the company wrote.