Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband internet constellation is beginning to take form, as the first set of satellites was shipped and launched into space on Monday. This marks the initial step in Amazon’s ambitious plan to deploy a total of 80 launches to place all 3,236 satellites into low Earth orbit, aimed at competing with Starlink, the satellite internet service powered by SpaceX.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, carrying Amazon’s inaugural 27 Kuiper satellites, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7 PM ET on April 28th. This followed a prior attempt on April 9th that was aborted due to unfavorable weather.
“This is the first step in a long journey to launch the remainder of our low Earth orbit constellation, representing significant invention and dedication,” said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on X. “I am incredibly proud of the entire team’s efforts.”
The satellites have been positioned 280 miles (450 kilometers) above the Earth, and Amazon has confirmed their successful activation and communication with ground systems. If everything proceeds as planned, Amazon aims to begin delivering “high-speed, low-latency” satellite internet services to customers by the end of this year.
“This launch represents the beginning of our future collaboration and a ramp-up in launch frequency,” stated ULA CEO Tory Bruno in a post-launch announcement. “We are continuously enhancing our launch facilities in Cape Canaveral to accommodate future Project Kuiper missions, benefiting both our commercial and governmental clients as we strive to save lives, explore space, and connect the globe.”
Launched in 2019, the $10 billion Project Kuiper initiative is working under a deadline set by the US Federal Communications Commission to have 1,618 satellites in orbit by mid-2026 — representing half of its total constellation. This is significantly fewer than the over 7,200 satellites currently operational for Starlink. Meanwhile, SpaceX announced that it has completed its 50th Starlink mission for 2025, achieving a milestone of 250 dedicated Starlink launches, with plans for a total of 12,000 satellites in orbit and regulatory approval to expand that number to 34,400.
