Overview
- Amazon successfully launched its first 27 Kuiper satellites aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral on April 28, 2025, at 19:01 local time.
- These satellites are the initial step in deploying a planned 3,236-satellite constellation aimed at delivering high-speed internet to underserved and remote areas worldwide.
- Project Kuiper's service is expected to begin by late 2025, with Amazon contracting over 80 additional launches from providers including ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.
- Operating in low Earth orbit, Kuiper satellites promise faster data exchanges compared to traditional geostationary systems over 35,000 km away.
- The rapid expansion of LEO constellations, including Starlink's 6,750 satellites, has raised concerns about orbital congestion, collision risks, and interference with astronomical research.