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5d ago

ULA Launches Second Batch of Kuiper Satellites, Bringing Fleet to 54

The mission advances Amazon’s effort to meet an FCC requirement to deploy more than 1,600 satellites by July 2026.

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 on June 23 at 6:54 a.m. EDT carrying the Kuiper 2 mission for Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation. Photo Credit: United Launch Alliance
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A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket sits on Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral at sunset on Saturday. The Atlas V will launch the Kuiper 2 mission for Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation targeting Monday liftoff. (Courtesy/ULA)
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Overview

  • United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket lifted off at 6:54 a.m. EDT on June 23 from Cape Canaveral, carrying 27 operational Kuiper satellites after engineers resolved a booster purge line issue that scrubbed the June 16 attempt.
  • With this flight, Amazon’s Project Kuiper now has 54 operational satellites in orbit alongside two prototypes undergoing deorbit procedures.
  • Project Kuiper aims to field a constellation of 3,232 satellites to deliver global broadband coverage and must place at least 1,616 into orbit by July 2026 under its FCC license.
  • Amazon has secured over 80 launches across ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin and SpaceX, with ULA contracted for six more Atlas V missions and 38 upcoming Vulcan flights carrying 45 satellites each.
  • A newly completed $120 million processing center at the Kennedy Space Center supports final fueling and integration steps to accelerate Amazon’s satellite deployment cadence.