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Amazon has officially entered the satellite internet race, launching its first batch of operational Project Kuiper satellites into orbit on Monday, marking a major step in its bid to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink.
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying 27 Kuiper satellites—named after the icy region beyond Neptune. These satellites will eventually settle into a low Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 400 miles (630 kilometers).
This follows the launch of two test satellites in 2023, also aboard an Atlas V. According to project officials, the newly deployed satellites feature significant upgrades, including a special mirror coating designed to reduce sunlight reflection and minimize interference with astronomical observations—a growing concern for the scientific community.
Amazon plans to deploy more than 3,200 Kuiper satellites in the coming years to offer fast, affordable global broadband coverage. The initiative is backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also owns the spaceflight company Blue Origin, one of the launch providers for Kuiper.
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, remains the dominant player in the sector, having launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites since 2019. As of now, more than 7,000 Starlinks remain active in orbit roughly 550 kilometers (342 miles) above Earth. The company celebrated its 250th Starlink launch just a day before Amazon’s milestone.
Other competitors include OneWeb, a European-based constellation with several hundred satellites in higher orbit.
Amazon has already secured dozens of launch contracts for Project Kuiper, partnering not just with ULA and Blue Origin, but also with other commercial launch providers.
“There are some things you can only learn in flight, no matter how much ground testing you do,” said Rajeev Badyal, Project Kuiper’s vice president. “No matter how this mission unfolds, this is just the beginning.”
Monday’s launch had been delayed earlier this month due to poor weather, but finally took off after securing a new launch window.
