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2h ago

Amazon Prepares for First Full-Scale Project Kuiper Satellite Launch Tonight

The deployment of 27 satellites marks the transition to production for Amazon's $10 billion global broadband initiative, pending favorable weather conditions at Cape Canaveral.

An Atlas V rocket stands ready to launch Amazon's Project Kuiper satellites. (United Launch Alliance Photo)
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with a payload of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites stands ready for launch at Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Monday, April 28, 2025, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
An Atlas V rocket of United Launch Alliance (ULA) is seen fueling at Space Launch Complex 41 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, at dusk on April 9, 2025
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Overview

  • Amazon's United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is set to launch 27 Project Kuiper satellites at 7 p.m. ET on April 28, with a two-hour launch window ending at 9 p.m.
  • Weather forecasts show a 75% chance of acceptable conditions for tonight's launch, with a backup date on April 29 offering a 90% chance of favorable weather.
  • The satellites will ascend to a low-Earth orbit of 392 miles, managed post-separation by Amazon's operations center in Redmond, Washington.
  • Project Kuiper aims to deploy over 3,200 satellites through more than 80 launches by 2028 to meet FCC licensing requirements and compete with SpaceX's Starlink.
  • Amazon has partnered with ULA, SpaceX, Arianespace, and Blue Origin for satellite deployment, with tonight's mission marking the first large-scale deployment following successful prototype tests in 2023.