Amazon launches first Kuiper satellites, taking aim at SpaceX’s Starlink empire

Amazon successfully launched the first 27 satellites for its ambitious Kuiper broadband constellation on April 28, initiating the long-anticipated rollout of its satellite internet network designed to compete with SpaceX’s dominant Starlink system.

The satellites, deployed from Florida aboard an Atlas V rocket operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA)—a Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture—are the first of 3,236 planned for low-Earth orbit. The 7 p.m. EDT liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station followed a delay earlier this month due to inclement weather, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Part of Amazon’s $10 billion Project Kuiper, the initiative was first announced in 2019 with the goal of delivering high-speed internet globally to consumers, businesses, and governments. Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has already established a strong foothold in the market with a rapidly expanding satellite network. Amazon positions Kuiper as a game-changer for underserved and remote communities that currently lack reliable connectivity.

With over a year of delays from its original early 2024 launch target, the company now faces pressure to meet a US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deadline requiring half of its satellite constellation—1,618 satellites—to be in orbit by mid-2026.

Analysts believe Amazon may seek an extension. The company is expected to confirm initial contact with all 27 satellites from its Redmond, Washington-based mission control center in the coming days. If operations proceed as planned, Amazon has said it will "begin delivering service to customers later this year." ULA could carry out as many as five additional Kuiper launches in 2025, according to CEO Tory Bruno. A 2020 FCC filing by Amazon indicated that service could begin in limited regions—particularly in the northern and southern hemispheres—once 578 satellites are operational, with broader coverage expected as the constellation expands.

Project Kuiper marks Amazon’s entry into a space communications sector already heavily influenced by SpaceX. Amazon executives are banking on the company’s established consumer tech presence and cloud infrastructure as key advantages over Starlink. Following the successful test of two prototype satellites launched in 2023 and later de-orbited, Amazon remained largely silent about the project’s progress until this month’s announcement of the full-scale launch. Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to outpace competitors.

On April 28, the company completed its 250th Starlink mission, bringing its total deployed satellites to more than 8,000. With launches occurring at least once per week—each carrying roughly two dozen satellites—Starlink is continually expanding its network capacity and replacing older units. This rapid deployment strategy has enabled SpaceX to secure over 5 million users across 125 countries and appeal to national security agencies interested in the company’s secure communications capabilities.

Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos remains optimistic about Kuiper’s prospects, telling in January, "there's insatiable demand" for internet. He added, "There's room for lots of winners there. I predict Starlink will continue to be successful, and I predict Kuiper will be successful as well." 

He further noted, "It will be a primarily commercial system, but there will be defense uses for these LEO constellations, no doubt." Amazon has also revealed its Kuiper consumer terminals, including a model comparable in size to an LP record and a more compact version similar to a Kindle device.

The company plans to produce tens of millions of these devices at a price point below $400 each. To support its satellite deployment, Amazon signed an industry-record deal in 2022 for 83 rocket launches from ULA, Arianespace, and Blue Origin—Bezos’ own space company—solidifying its commitment to Project Kuiper’s long-term rollout.

By Naila Huseynova