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4mo ago

Amazon's Project Kuiper Launches First Satellites, Entering LEO Broadband Market

The deployment of 27 satellites marks the start of Amazon's $10 billion initiative to rival SpaceX's Starlink with global high-speed internet from space.

Le décollage de la fusée Atlas V du groupe United Launch Alliance (ULA), qui regroupe Boeing et Lockheed Martin, transportant les satellites, a eu lieu à 19h01 locales à Cap Canaveral, en Floride.
Le projet Kuiper a connu un démarrage tardif sur un marché dominé par SpaceX.
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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.