Amazon is just days away from a pivotal step in its ambitious satellite internet initiative, Project Kuiper. The tech giant plans to launch the first operational batch of Kuiper satellites on Wednesday, April 9, aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rocket. The mission, dubbed Kuiper 1 by ULA and Kuiper Atlas 1 (KA-01) by Amazon, is scheduled during a three-hour window beginning at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 UTC).
United Launch Alliance (ULA) payload fairings encapsulate 27 of Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites ahead of their launch no earlier than April 9, 2025. Credit: Amazon
The launch will deploy 27 satellites into a 630 km low Earth orbit, forming the early foundation of Amazon’s future global broadband network. This marks the first mission featuring Amazon’s finalized satellite design, following its October 2023 Protoflight demonstration of two prototype satellites.
“We’ve designed some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built,” said Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Project Kuiper. “This is just the beginning. We’ve tested extensively on the ground, but flight is the ultimate test, and this is our first opportunity to deploy at scale.”
Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to eventually place 3,236 satellites into orbit across three altitudes—590 km, 610 km, and 630 km. The deployment is structured in five phases, with service expected to begin once 578 satellites are active.
However, Amazon faces strict regulatory deadlines. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that half of the constellation—1,618 satellites—must be launched and operational by July 30, 2026. The full constellation must be completed by July 30, 2029, or Amazon risks losing part of its authorization. To meet the mid-2026 target, Amazon would need to average over 95 satellite launches per month.
Launch Strategy and Vehicles
To meet its goals, Amazon has booked an impressive portfolio of launch vehicles:
9 Atlas 5 rockets from ULA (including Kuiper 1)
38 Vulcan launches (ULA)
18 Ariane 6 launches (Arianespace)
12 to 27 New Glenn launches (Blue Origin)
3 Falcon 9 launches (SpaceX), secured under pressure from investors in late 2023
The upcoming Kuiper 1 launch is the first of several expected this year. According to ULA’s Gary Wentz, Amazon is planning multiple Atlas and Vulcan launches, though Vulcan’s first Kuiper launch isn’t expected until late summer or fall. The Vulcan vehicle is still in production and awaiting readiness milestones.
ULA CEO Tory Bruno noted that an Atlas 5 can carry 27 Kuiper satellites per flight, while Vulcan can accommodate 45. “We’re prepared to have both vehicles ready. Ultimately, Amazon will decide how many satellites to deploy and on which rockets,” Wentz added.
Despite the flurry of launch activity, Amazon has been tight-lipped about its specific plans for 2025. The company has not disclosed current satellite production rates or how many Kuiper satellites can be accommodated per launch vehicle beyond Atlas and Vulcan.
Amazon also hasn't clarified whether the planned mid-2025 Falcon 9 launches are still on schedule. Arianespace’s Ariane 6 isn’t expected to launch again until August, with only a handful of missions projected for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, Blue Origin’s New Glenn is awaiting its second flight following a January mishap, and a timeline for Kuiper payload integration remains unclear.
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos previously estimated “six to eight flights” in 2025, though it’s uncertain whether that goal still stands.
The Kuiper 1 launch will be ULA’s first orbital mission of 2025 and part of a broader ramp-up. Bruno hopes to achieve a launch cadence of two missions per month by year’s end, leading into an even more aggressive pace in 2026.
Alongside Kuiper missions, ULA is preparing for its next big project: launching the USSF-106 mission for the U.S. Space Force using its Vulcan rocket, now certified for national security missions. Another national security launch, USSF-87, is also in the pipeline with payload readiness still pending.
Meanwhile, NASA and Boeing continue preparations for the next crewed Starliner flight, including rigorous thruster testing throughout spring and summer. Starliner still has six Atlas 5 rockets reserved for its future missions.
Amazon has pledged to scale up its satellite production and launch tempo throughout the year, stating its intention to begin delivering internet service to customers by the end of 2024. The Kuiper 1 launch marks a crucial step in realizing that vision—and with deadlines looming, the pace will need to accelerate quickly.
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