Amazon is set to launch its first full batch of Project Kuiper satellites next week, taking a significant step toward competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink in the satellite internet sector.
The mission, named Kuiper Atlas 1, will see 27 satellites launched aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 12:00 pm EDT (1600 GMT) on Wednesday, April 9, according to Amazon. The deployment will be managed by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
These satellites mark a major advancement from the two prototypes that Amazon successfully tested in October 2023. Like Starlink, Project Kuiper aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to remote and underserved regions, including disaster-stricken and conflict-affected areas.
Amazon expects to roll out its satellite broadband service later this year. The full constellation will consist of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit, positioning Amazon as a direct competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink, which has already deployed over 6,750 satellites since its first launch in 2019.
Other players in the satellite internet race include China’s GuoWang constellation, which plans to launch 13,000 satellites, as well as Canada’s Telesat and Germany’s Rivada, which are targeting 300 and 600 satellites, respectively. Additionally, the European Union’s Iris project will introduce 170 satellites, while the US military’s Space Development Agency aims to deploy between 300 and 500.
With this launch, Amazon is making a bold move to secure a foothold in the increasingly competitive satellite broadband industry, where demand for global connectivity continues to rise.
