Amazon Enters Satellite Internet Market with First Project Kuiper Launch

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2025 — Amazon officially joined the satellite internet race on Monday evening with the successful launch of 27 Project Kuiper satellites, marking the first major deployment in its multibillion-dollar effort to rival SpaceX’s Starlink network.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:01 p.m. ET, carrying the payload into Low Earth Orbit. By Tuesday morning, Amazon confirmed it had made contact with all 27 satellites, and early activation was proceeding “nominally.”

The mission is Amazon’s first full-scale deployment following the launch of two test satellites in 2023. The company plans to use a combination of ULA’s Atlas V and Vulcan rockets, along with launches from Blue Origin and others, to place over 3,200 satellites into orbit. Amazon estimates it will need at least 580 operational satellites to begin offering internet service.

“This is just the start of our journey,” said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of technology for Project Kuiper. “There are some things you can only learn in flight.”

The latest satellites are equipped with mirrored coatings intended to reduce their impact on astronomical observations, a concern increasingly raised by stargazers and scientists amid the rapid growth of satellite constellations.

Amazon enters a field already dominated by Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has launched over 8,000 satellites since 2019. More than 7,000 remain in orbit, serving an estimated 5 million users across 130 countries. SpaceX marked its 250th Starlink mission on Sunday and completed two additional Falcon 9 launches on Monday, bringing its 2025 total to 50 missions.

Amazon said it has committed to 46 launches for Kuiper, including eight on Atlas V rockets. 

Monday’s flight had been delayed earlier this month due to weather conditions.