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5d ago

Amazon Readies Third Kuiper Satellite Launch on SpaceX Falcon 9

The mission is part of Amazon’s push to meet an FCC deadline to have half of its 3,236-satellite constellation operational by July 30, 2026.

Amazon's third Kuiper launch is being performed by SpaceX.
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Overview

  • Mission KF-01 will lift 24 Project Kuiper broadband satellites into low Earth orbit at 2:18 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral with a 27-minute launch window.
  • A successful deployment would boost Kuiper’s in-orbit fleet to 78 satellites following two April and June Atlas V launches that added 54 spacecraft.
  • The launch stems from a December 2023 contract securing three Falcon 9 flights for Kuiper alongside Amazon’s broader lineup of up to 83 missions booked with ULA, Arianespace and Blue Origin.
  • Amazon has allocated over $10 billion to the program and may incur as much as $23 billion in total costs to complete its first-generation constellation.
  • Project Kuiper aims to challenge SpaceX’s Starlink, which currently operates around 8,000 satellites and serves about 5 million customers worldwide.