Insider Brief
- United Launch Alliance successfully launched Amazon’s Kuiper-1 mission aboard an Atlas V rocket on April 28, initiating full-scale deployment of the Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation.
- The mission marks a major step in Amazon’s plan to deliver affordable global internet service and begins ULA’s role in deploying over half of the 3,200-satellite network through a record-setting commercial launch agreement.
- ULA will support future Kuiper launches with upgraded infrastructure at Cape Canaveral and its next-generation Vulcan rocket, aimed at increasing cadence for both commercial and government missions.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral on April 28, marking the start of full-scale deployment for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a satellite network designed to deliver broadband internet service across the globe.
The launch, which took place at 7:01 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41, carried the first operational Kuiper-1 mission payload into low-Earth orbit, according to ULA. The mission represents Amazon’s next major step in building a 3,200-satellite constellation to provide high-speed internet access to underserved and remote regions.
“This launch is an incredible milestone in Amazon’s ambitious initiative to provide fast, reliable broadband service to unserved and underserved communities around the world,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs.
Project Kuiper joins a competitive field that includes SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb. Amazon reported, “Our team has already established contact with all 27 satellites, and initial deployment and activation sequences are proceeding nominally. We’ll have subsequent updates to share as the mission unfolds.”
Amazon successfully launched two prototype satellites in 2023. The Kuiper-1 mission is the first of a planned series of over 40 launches intended to build out more than half of the planned network. ULA will conduct seven additional missions aboard its legacy Atlas V rocket and will then shift to its Vulcan Centaur rocket, a newer, modular vehicle built to serve commercial and government clients.
An additional 30-plus launches by Amazon’s other launch providers – Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX – will also take place, Amazon noted.
“This launch marks the first step towards the future of our partnership and increased launch cadence. We have been steadily modifying our launch facilities in Cape Canaveral to support the capacity for future Project Kuiper missions in a manner that will ultimately benefit both our commercial and government customers as we endeavor to save lives, explore the universe and connect the world,” said Tory Bruno, ULA president and CEO. “The addition of a second launch processing capability allows for dual, simultaneous launch processing between both integration facilities seamlessly.”
Under what ULA describes as the largest commercial launch agreement in history, the company will use its Vulcan rocket to perform 38 launches for Project Kuiper. The Vulcan rocket’s design emphasizes flexibility and efficiency, aiming to meet the growing demand for frequent, cost-effective launches to low-Earth orbit, or LEO.
“Project Kuiper will deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to virtually any location on the planet, and we expect to begin delivering service to customers later this year,” Amazon reported earlier this month.
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