Amazon Launches First Kuiper Internet Satellites, Enters Race Against Starlink

Amazon has launched the first 27 satellites for its Project Kuiper broadband constellation from Florida.

This marks the start of a long-delayed plan to rival SpaceX’s Starlink with space-based internet.

The satellites—part of a planned 3,236—were sent into low-Earth orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 7 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral, after bad weather postponed an earlier attempt.

Project Kuiper, a $10 billion initiative announced in 2019, aims to provide global broadband access for consumers, businesses, and governments, especially in underserved rural areas.

The launch comes over a year behind schedule. Amazon must deploy half the constellation—1,618 satellites—by mid-2026 to meet a U.S. FCC deadline.