Satellite of Love

We don’t know about you, but we think “Satellite of Love” is undoubtedly one of the highlights of Lou Reed’s post-Velvet Underground solo career. While there’s long been some debate about the meaning of the song, it’s probably clear Reed wasn’t referring to Amazon’s ambitious plan to cover all the globe with internet access via a series of satellites. 

On its face, “Project Kuiper” — we assume the project is named after the Kuiper Belt, which was in turn named after astronomer Gerard Kuiper — seems like a noble plan. After all, giving every citizen access to the internet can only enrich society as a whole. But with the general attitude toward big tech these days, the prospect of Amazon launching more than 3,000 satellites into space may give pause to some.

But one thing is for certain: The project could prove to be a financial boon to Jeff Bezos’ company. Morgan Stanley analysts estimate it could represent a $100 billion economic opportunity, adding that the “space economy” (get used to that phrase) will grow more than $1 trillion over the next 20 years. To boldly go, indeed.