Amazon Turns to SpaceX to Launch Kuiper Satellites

Amazon will launch 24 of its Project Kuiper internet satellites at an early Wednesday morning on a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX. The flight will occur from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with a 27-minute launch window starting at 2:18 a.m. ET. The weather is looking good, with an 80% probability of a trouble-free liftoff.

This is the first time that Amazon is employing the services of SpaceX, a central competitor in the race for satellite internet, to launch its satellites. The mission has been designated as KF-01 and represents a significant move towards Amazon's vision of connecting high-speed internet with remote and underserved communities.

Deadline Puts Pressure on Amazon

Amazon is being put under pressure by U.S. regulators to speed up. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has told the company to get at least 1,618 of its projected 3,236 satellites up and running by July 30, 2026. If Amazon fails to do so, it risks losing part of its satellite permit.

Amazon so far has just 54 Kuiper satellites in space following two previous launches. Wednesday's mission will boost that number to 78, yet nowhere near the halfway point. For Amazon to comply with the FCC regulation, it must launch nearly 100 satellites per month for 15 months — an unprecedented rate for the space industry.

SpaceX Fills The Gaps

Amazon had previously contracted with other launch providers such as Blue Origin and ULA. But because of delays and a lack of available rockets, Amazon has been forced to turn to SpaceX. Although the two firms are business competitors, Amazon made a deal with SpaceX for three Falcon 9 launches in December 2023.

Blue Origin's rocket, which belongs to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has flown but once and was unable to recover its booster. It's second try won't come until August.

Rivaling Starlink

Amazon's Kuiper project is its response to SpaceX's Starlink constellation, which already has almost 8,000 satellites in space. Amazon has committed more than $10 billion to the venture and promises to begin providing service to customers by late 2025.

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