NASA selects SpaceX, Amazon's Project Kuiper for near-Earth space communication

NASA has selected six U.S. satellite communications (SATCOM) providers including SpaceX and Amazon's Project Kuiper for developing and demonstrating near-Earth space communication services that could potentially meet the agency's future mission requirements as it works to decommission its near-Earth satellite fleet - called Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS).

In a media release on Thursday, NASA said that the combined value of its Communications Services Project (CSP) funded agreements is USD278.5 million. The selected companies will complete technology development and in-space demonstrations by 2025.

Below are the funded companies and their proposed approaches:

• SpaceX ($69.95 million) - The company's proposed approach demonstrates a commercial optical low-Earth orbiting relay network for high-rate SATCOM services to spacecraft in LEO for routine missions, contingency operations, launch and ascent, and early operations phase communications.
• Kuiper Government Solutions (KGS) LLC ($67 million) - Proposed approach is similar to SpaceX.
• Inmarsat Government Inc. ($28.6 million) - Proposed approach demos a commercial radio frequency geostationary orbiting L-band relay network for low-rate SATCOM services to spacecraft and launch vehicles for routine missions, contingency operations, launch and ascent, and early operations phase communications.
• SES Government Solutions ($28.96 million) - The proposed approach demonstrates commercial radio frequency geostationary orbiting C-band and medium-Earth orbiting Ka-band relay networks for high- and- low-rate SATCOM services to spacecraft in low-Earth orbit for routine missions, contingency operations, launch and ascent, and early operations phase communications.
• Viasat Incorporated ($53.3 million) - The proposed approach demonstrates a commercial radio frequency geostationary orbiting Ka-band relay network for high- and low-rate communications services to spacecraft in low-Earth orbit for routine launch and missions.
• Telesat U.S. Services LLC ($30.65 million) - The proposed approach demonstrates commercial radio frequency geostationary orbiting C-band and low-Earth orbiting Ka-band relay networks for high- and- low-rate communications services to spacecraft in low-Earth orbit for routine missions.

NASA's TDRS provides a vital communications link between ground facilities and the International Space Station (ISS), Hubble telescope and a host of Earth science satellites. The agency would decommission TDRS to enable commercial providers to support future near-Earth communication mission requirements.