Amazon Renames 'Project Kuiper' Satellite Internet Venture To 'Leo'

Amazon announced that its satellite broadband project called Project Kuiper will now be known as Amazon Leo. GeekWire reports: Leo is a nod to 'low Earth orbit,' where Amazon has so far launched more than 150 satellites as part of a constellation that will eventually include more than 3,200. In a blog post, Amazon said the 7-year-old Project Kuiper began 'with a handful of engineers and a few designs on paper' and like most early Amazon projects 'the program needed a code name.' The team was inspired by the Kuiper Belt, a ring of asteroids in the outer solar system.

A new website for Amazon Leo proclaims 'a new era of internet is coming,' as Amazon says its satellites can help serve 'billions of people on the planet who lack high-speed internet access, and millions of businesses, governments, and other organizations operating in places without reliable connectivity.' Amazon said it will begin rolling out service once it's added more coverage and capacity to the network. Details about pricing and availability haven't been announced.

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