From SpaceX to Amazon: How Rajeev Badyal is leading the race for satellite internet

Rajeev Badyal is a man on a mission. He is the vice president of technology and the head of Project Kuiper, Amazon’s ambitious initiative to launch a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites that will provide high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

Badyal is no stranger to the satellite internet industry. He was previously the vice president of satellites at SpaceX, where he led the Starlink division, a similar project that aims to create a global network of thousands of satellites. However, he was reportedly fired by Elon Musk in 2018, after failing to meet the deadlines and expectations of the SpaceX founder.

But Badyal did not give up on his vision. He joined Amazon in 2019, and was entrusted with the responsibility of building and managing Project Kuiper, which was announced in 2019. The project plans to deploy 3,236 satellites in three orbital shells, at an altitude of 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km. The project has received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2020, and has committed to invest $10 billion into the project.

Badyal has been leading a team of engineers and experts, who have been working on designing, developing, testing, and launching the satellites. In October 2023, Amazon successfully launched its first two prototype satellites, KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2, which have been conducting extensive testing of the end-to-end communications payload and network. The project has also achieved a breakthrough in optical inter-satellite link (OISL) capabilities, which enable the satellites to communicate with each other using laser beams, forming a mesh network in space. The project has demonstrated 100 Gbps optical links between its prototype satellites, ensuring that OISLs will be operational on the first production satellites, slated for launch in the first half of 2024.

Badyal has also been overseeing the regulatory and business aspects of the project, such as securing spectrum rights, obtaining licenses, complying with safety and environmental standards, and partnering with customers and stakeholders. The project aims to serve tens of millions of people who lack basic access to broadband internet, especially in rural and remote areas. The project also intends to support emergency response and disaster recovery efforts, as well as educational and healthcare initiatives.

Badyal has a rich and diverse background in technology and space. He has an MS in electrical and computer engineering from Oregon State University, and has held senior engineering positions at Microsoft Corporation and Hewlett Packard. He has over 30 years of experience, overseeing various aspects of technology and space businesses, such as production, quality and safety, regulatory compliance, and business development.

Badyal is a visionary and a leader, who is passionate about making a positive impact on the world through satellite internet. He is not deterred by the challenges and the competition, but rather motivated by the opportunities and the potential. He is confident that Project Kuiper will be a game-changer for the satellite internet industry, and a boon for the millions of people who are waiting for reliable and affordable broadband access.