Overview

• Amazon's Project Kuiper will launch 27 satellites aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral on April 9 at 12 p.m. EDT.
• This mission, known as KA-01, is the first full-scale deployment of Kuiper satellites, following successful prototype tests in 2023.
• The satellites feature significant upgrades, including improved antennas, propulsion systems, and optical inter-satellite links, and are designed to minimize visibility to astronomers.
• Amazon aims to deploy over 3,200 satellites by 2029, with half required by the FCC to be operational by mid-2026.
• The Kuiper network will compete with SpaceX's Starlink and is expected to begin offering high-speed, low-latency internet service later in 2025.