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Amazon to Launch First Full-Scale Kuiper Satellites on April 9

The KA-01 mission will deploy 27 advanced satellites, marking the start of Project Kuiper's global broadband rollout.

United Launch Alliance delivers the Kuiper-1 payload to its Vertical Integration Facility in Florida. (ULA Photo)
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United Launch Alliance teams hoist the Amazon Kuiper 1 mission payload atop the Atlas V rocket in the Vertical Integration Facility-G adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. (Courtesy/ULA)
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Overview

  • The KA-01 mission, scheduled for April 9, 2025, will launch 27 Kuiper satellites aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
  • This mission will test Amazon's final satellite design, featuring phased array antennas, optical inter-satellite links, and coatings to reduce visibility to astronomers.
  • Amazon aims to deploy over 3,200 satellites as part of Project Kuiper, with plans to begin customer broadband services later this year.
  • The company is on track to meet an FCC deadline requiring the deployment of 1,618 satellites by July 2026 to maintain its license.
  • Amazon has committed $10 billion to the initiative and secured over 80 launches from providers like ULA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin to scale deployment.