FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly criticized the slow deployment of Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite network. In an interview with Reuters, Carr suggested Amazon focus on its own launch milestones rather than challenging competitors like SpaceX.
The comments follow an Amazon filing urging the FCC to reject a SpaceX plan to deploy a constellation of up to one million satellites. Amazon argued the SpaceX application lacked essential technical details regarding orbital operations, spectrum use, and interference management.
Carr’s dismissal of these arguments signals a potential regulatory divide in the satellite communications sector. The friction highlights intensifying competition as companies vie for dominance in the orbital broadband market.