Amazon asks the federal government to launch thousands of small satellites

Amazon is seeking federal approval to launch thousands of small low Earth satellites, the latest expansion of the e-commerce giant into the booming commercial space.

Known as the "Kuiper Project," the 3,236 satellites "will provide high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world," said a spokesman.

"This is a long-term project aimed at serving tens of millions of people without basic broadband access. We look forward to joining this initiative with companies that share this vision, "he wrote in an e-mail response to FOX Business inquiries.

Amazon's plan was first reported by GeekWire.

The initiative is the technology giant's latest initiative to challenge other industry giants and capitalize on the booming commercial space. The Seattle-based company already owns Blue Origin, which attempts to commercialize space travel for tourism purposes.

OneWeb, based in Arlington, Va., For example, also hopes to launch a constellation of satellites to provide Internet connectivity to underserved locations. He has received billions of dollars from companies such as Coca Cola, including a $ 1.25 billion fundraiser in March led by a SoftBank investment.

In parallel with its efforts to commercialize space travel, SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, is pursuing its own constellation of small satellites.

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After a record foreign investment of $ 1.6 billion in 2017, the total space sector is valued at more than $ 18 billion.

Investors and others, however, fear that the bubble will burst soon, while many younger startups are looking for ways to market their offerings, including weather monitoring and imaging of the Earth.