Amazon has officially entered the satellite internet race, launching the first 27 satellites of its Project Kuiper constellation on Monday from Cape Canaveral, Florida — a major step in its $10 billion effort to rival SpaceX’s Starlink.
Riding atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket, the satellites were sent into low-Earth orbit at 7pm EDT, marking the company’s first operational deployment in a plan to launch 3,236 satellites aimed at delivering global broadband coverage, especially to underserved rural areas.
“There’s insatiable demand for internet,” Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos said earlier this year. “There’s room for lots of winners there… I predict Starlink will continue to be successful, and I predict Kuiper will be successful as well.”
With this launch, Amazon begins the long-delayed rollout of Kuiper — a programme unveiled in 2019 but repeatedly pushed back.
The company must deploy at least 1,618 satellites by mid-2026 to meet its regulatory obligation under the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Industry watchers say Amazon may request an extension due to the delayed start.
The launch comes as SpaceX continues to dominate the low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market, with over 8,000 Starlink satellites deployed and more than five million users across 125 countries. Amazon, by contrast, only launched its first two prototype Kuiper satellites in 2023, which were de-orbited in 2024 after successful tests.
Despite the late entry, Amazon says its strength in cloud computing and consumer hardware gives it an advantage. It has already unveiled affordable consumer terminals — including a $400 LP-record-sized antenna and a Kindle-sized compact version — designed to connect with Kuiper satellites.
Amazon’s mission operations centre in Redmond, Washington, is expected to confirm contact with all 27 satellites in the coming days. If successful, the company says it will begin delivering broadband services “later this year”.
This launch is the first of what could be up to five Kuiper missions in 2025, according to ULA CEO Tory Bruno. Amazon has already secured 83 rocket launches from ULA, Arianespace, and Blue Origin — the largest commercial launch contract in history.
The initial phase of service could begin with just 578 satellites, targeting northern and southern regions, and will later expand toward the equator as more satellites go up.
Amazon has positioned Kuiper not just as a business venture but as a strategic asset, with commercial and potential defence applications. Like Starlink, Kuiper could eventually support government and military needs.
Click the link Puretvonline.com | WhatsApp Channel to join the whatsapp channel
GOT A STORY?
Contact/WhatsApp: +233243201960 or Email: manuelnkansah33@gmail.com