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4mo ago

Amazon’s Project Kuiper Faces Delays with Satellite Production and Launches

The satellite internet initiative, designed to rival SpaceX’s Starlink, struggles to scale manufacturing and meet regulatory deadlines as its first full-scale launch approaches.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - APRIL 9: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Amazon Project Kuiper is prepared for the launch of the first production satellites from Space Launch Complex 41 on April 9, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Project Kuiper will bring high-speed, low-latency internet, with service expected later this year. The KA-01 mission is scheduled for launch on April 9 at 7:00 p.m. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Amazon’s Project Kuiper, aiming to deploy over 3,000 satellites for global broadband coverage, has produced only a few dozen satellites to date.
  • The inaugural full-scale launch of 27 satellites, originally scheduled for April 8, 2025, has been delayed to April 28 due to production bottlenecks.
  • Amazon faces a government contract requirement to have 1,600 satellites in orbit by next summer and an FCC mandate to deploy half of its planned constellation by mid-2026.
  • Insiders suggest Amazon may seek an extension from the FCC, though the company asserts its manufacturing schedule supports full-scale deployment later this year.
  • The initiative, which aims to serve 400 million households and compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, has secured launch contracts with multiple providers, including United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin.