United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched the first operational batch of Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) on Sunday evening, marking a critical step in Amazon’s ambitious plan to deploy a 3,232-satellite constellation to deliver global internet service. However, the mission unfolded under an unusual veil of secrecy and faces mounting pressure from regulatory deadlines and market competition.
AtlasV unleashes 2.7 million pounds (12 megaNewtons) of thrust to begin its flight into space, precisely delivering the first grouping of operational broadband satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper constellation. Credit: ULA
The Atlas V rocket, configured in its most powerful 551 variant, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:01 p.m. Eastern. Designated mission KA-01 (Kuiper Atlas 1), the launch carried 27 Kuiper satellites—the first of the constellation’s operational payloads—into a parking orbit of approximately 450 kilometers. A little over 90 minutes later, ULA confirmed the successful deployment of all satellites from the Centaur upper stage, although further mission milestones were withheld at Amazon's request.
This was the heaviest payload ever launched aboard an Atlas V, and the launch marked a milestone for both ULA and Amazon. The Centaur upper stage’s maneuvers and satellite deployment were conducted without live public coverage, a level of confidentiality typically reserved for national security missions. Only hours after the event did Amazon CEO Andy Jassy break the silence on social media, confirming that all 27 satellites were functioning nominally in orbit.
“While this is the first step in a much longer journey to launch the rest of our low Earth orbit constellation, it represents an incredible amount of invention and hard work,” Jassy wrote.
A Delayed and Pressured Start
This launch follows an earlier attempt on April 9, scrubbed due to inclement weather. While both the rocket and payload were cleared for launch, range availability issues—possibly related to classified operations such as the U.S. Army’s hypersonic missile test on April 25—caused further delay. Cape Canaveral’s Eastern Range remains a high-traffic corridor for both military and commercial missions.
Amazon is under increasing time pressure. Per its license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it must have at least half of the Kuiper constellation—1,616 satellites—in orbit by July 30, 2026, and the remainder by July 30, 2029. Given delays in launch vehicle availability and the reported challenges in scaling satellite production at Amazon’s Kirkland, Washington facility, meeting that milestone appears increasingly uncertain.
A Multi-Vehicle, Multi-Vendor Strategy
To meet its constellation targets, Amazon secured up to 92 launch contracts in a landmark 2022 deal, encompassing:
-9 launches on ULA's Atlas V
-38 launches on ULA’s next-generation Vulcan Centaur
-18 launches aboard Europe’s Ariane 6
- 12 launches with Blue Origin’s New Glenn (also owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos)
-3 launches with SpaceX’s Falcon 9, added later for contingency
The October 2023 launch of two Kuiper prototype satellites on an Atlas V was deemed a success. However, the transition from prototyping to full-scale deployment has been hindered by delays in vehicle readiness: Vulcan and Ariane 6 have each flown only twice, while New Glenn achieved its maiden flight in January 2025.
Tory Bruno, ULA’s CEO, stated during the 40th Space Symposium earlier this month that Vulcan Centaur could begin Kuiper launches by late summer. While another Atlas launch is tentatively possible before the switch to Vulcan, Bruno acknowledged that completing all nine contracted Atlas Kuiper missions may stretch into 2026.
Project Kuiper enters a fiercely competitive low Earth orbit broadband sector dominated by SpaceX’s Starlink, which currently has over 7,000 operational satellites. Several other nations and commercial ventures are also pursuing satellite broadband services, raising concerns about orbital congestion and market oversaturation. Regulatory bodies have increasingly emphasized the need for orbital debris mitigation and spectrum coordination.
Despite these challenges, ULA framed the April 28 launch as a pivotal achievement:
“This mission marks an incredible milestone in Amazon’s ambitious initiative to provide fast, reliable broadband service to unserved and underserved communities around the world,” ULA said in a statement.
The Atlas V's Final Commercial Act
The KA-01 mission is also part of Atlas V’s twilight operations. With its Russian-built RD-180 engines and 100% success rate, the vehicle is being phased out in favor of the all-American Vulcan Centaur. Congressional mandates following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea prohibited the use of Russian engines for national security payloads awarded post-2022. ULA has completed its national security commitments on Atlas and will now reserve the remaining inventory of the rocket for commercial missions, including Kuiper.
Now safely in orbit, the 27 Kuiper satellites will use onboard electric propulsion systems to reach their designated 630-kilometer operational altitude. From there, Amazon will begin systems checkout and validation of functionality. These satellites represent a turning point—from testing to operational scaling—in Amazon’s multi-billion-dollar bet to bring global broadband to underserved populations.
With deadlines looming and competitors already entrenched in orbit, Amazon’s constellation must now move at unprecedented speed to meet regulatory requirements and market expectations.
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