Amazon's Project Kuiper is set to launch its first full-scale batch of 27 satellites on April 9, 2025, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The mission, named Kuiper Atlas 1 (KA-01), will use a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket to deploy the satellites into low Earth orbit at an altitude of 450 kilometers (280 miles). The launch window opens at 12 p.m. EDT.
This launch marks a significant step for Amazon in its effort to provide high-speed, low-latency internet to underserved communities globally, directly competing with SpaceX's Starlink. Project Kuiper aims to have over 3,200 satellites in its constellation.
The satellites on the KA-01 mission are upgraded from the prototypes tested in October 2023, featuring improvements in antennas, processors, solar arrays, and propulsion systems. They also include a dielectric mirror film to reduce visibility for ground-based astronomers. After separating from the rocket, the satellites will use electric propulsion to reach their final orbital altitude of 630 kilometers (392 miles).
ULA's Atlas V rocket will be in its most powerful configuration for this mission, using five solid rocket boosters. Amazon has secured over 80 launches for Project Kuiper, utilizing ULA's Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur rockets, as well as launches with Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX. While the initial cost estimate for Project Kuiper was $10 billion, analysts now estimate it could reach $20 billion.