Amazon is preparing to launch its Kuiper satellite broadband service in Vietnam. The Ministry of Science and Technology reports the company has pledged $570 million by 2030 to build local infrastructure, including up to six ground stations and terminal manufacturing in Bac Ninh province.
The tech and commerce giant has registered Amazon Kuiper Vietnam Co. Ltd. in Ho Chi Minh City, and a five-year pilot programme targeting households, businesses, government and underserved regions is formally applied for. The announcement followed a meeting in Hanoi between Deputy Minister Phạm Đức Long and Gonzalo de Dios, who leads global licensing for Project Kuiper. Kuiper enters direct competition with Starlink, already cleared to operate in Vietnam.
Opening Access to Remote Regions
Kuiper targets remote and island communities with its low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation, aimed at delivering high-speed, low-latency internet to areas where terrestrial networks remain sparse. Amazon’s move could significantly boost digital connectivity across Vietnam’s rural and maritime regions.
Vietnam Hub for Manufacturing and Services
The announcement marks a strategic leap, with Amazon planning not just satellite services but the physical infrastructure to support them on the ground. By pairing space assets with local production and service facilities, Amazon is embedding itself in Vietnam’s digital economy rather than running operations solely from abroad. The Bac Ninh production sites would allow for assembly of user terminals inside the country, shortening supply lines and speeding up deployment.
Starlink Challenge
Starlink has already secured a similar licence, giving both satellite internet providers simultaneous regulatory paths in Vietnam. Kuiper’s first operational launches have also begun, with 27 satellites placed in orbit in April 2025, an early step toward a planned constellation exceeding 3,000 spacecraft. The timing underlines that the competition between Amazon and SpaceX is no longer theoretical but actively unfolding.
Business in Orbit Becomes Earth-Based
By combining satellite internet ambitions with ground investment and a phased pilot rollout, Amazon signals a broad strategy: it wants Vietnam to be both a proving ground for Kuiper’s technology and a showcase market in Southeast Asia. By pairing satellites in orbit with facilities on the ground, Amazon is turning Vietnam into both a testbed and a hub for Kuiper’s wider expansion.
Published by Ben Ward
Ben Ward studied English Literature and Language at the University of Bristol. With a background in analytical news writing and an interest in space exploration, his work focuses on the connection between science, history, and language. He has a measured approach to space journalism, always prioritising accuracy. He is interested in how the decisions of private industry, government agencies, and scientific institutions shape the future of space exploration. When not writing, He closely follows updates in Geopolitics, Aerospace and Planetary science, considering how humanity’s presence on earth has an influence far beyond it.