On Monday, Amazon successfully launched its second group of Kuiper internet satellites into low Earth orbit, furthering its ambitions for a vast satellite constellation and intensifying the competition with SpaceX’s Starlink.
A United Launch Alliance rocket, which was carrying 27 Kuiper satellites, took off from a launchpad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:54 a.m. ET, as shown in a livestream.
“We have ignition and lift off of United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet constellation, marking a new chapter in low Earth orbit satellite connectivity,” stated Ben Chilton, an ordnance engineer at ULA, during the livestream after the launch.
This mission on Monday had been postponed twice due to bad weather and an issue with the rocket booster.
Six years ago, Amazon announced its intention to create a network of internet-providing satellites in low Earth orbit, known as Project Kuiper. This service aims to compete head-to-head with Elon Musk’s Starlink, which currently leads the market with 8,000 satellites in orbit.
In April, Amazon successfully launched 27 Kuiper internet satellites into low Earth orbit, an area of space located within 1,200 miles of the Earth’s surface.
The 54 satellites currently in orbit mark the beginning of Amazon’s ambitious plan for a constellation of 3,236 satellites. The company must adhere to a Federal Communications Commission deadline to launch half of its total constellation, which amounts to 1,618 satellites, by July 2026.
To achieve this, Amazon has secured over 80 launches with various providers, including competitor SpaceX, to transport Kuiper’s satellites into orbit.