Amazon is preparing to take the next major step in building its satellite-based internet service, with the launch of its second batch of Project Kuiper satellites scheduled for Monday, June 16.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off carrying Amazon's Project Kuiper internet network satellites from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, in the U.S. state of Florida, on April 28. Credit: ULA
A total of 27 satellites — part of Amazon’s growing low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation — will lift off aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch, officially designated Kuiper 2, is slated for 1:25 p.m. EDT (1725 GMT) and will mark the latest phase in Amazon's plan to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet access from space.
Once deployed into orbit, the new satellites will join the 27 already launched during the Kuiper 1 mission on April 28, effectively doubling the constellation’s size to 54 satellites. Amazon plans to use this steadily expanding network to beam wireless broadband to underserved regions and customers across the globe.
The Kuiper project is part of Amazon’s broader goal to establish a space-based internet infrastructure that combines satellite connectivity with its terrestrial Amazon Web Services (AWS) ecosystem. The company says the architecture, which includes ground stations and cloud integration, will allow it to compete effectively in the global satellite internet market — even without matching the scale of competitors like SpaceX’s Starlink, which currently operates more than 7,600 satellites.
“This is only the beginning,” ULA said in a May 28 update, hinting at the rapid pace of Amazon’s rollout. The company has planned 83 Kuiper missions in total, with a mix of launch providers. While Atlas V is handling the first two missions, future satellites will ride aboard ULA’s upcoming Vulcan Centaur, Arianespace’s Ariane 6, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets.
In addition to performance, Amazon is prioritizing responsible spaceflight. The Kuiper team says the satellites are engineered to reduce orbital debris risks and are collaborating with the astronomy community to limit brightness and interference with night-sky observations.
The launch window on June 16 will remain open for 30 minutes. If all goes according to plan, Monday’s launch will bring Amazon one step closer to realizing its ambitious vision of providing global internet access through a network of more than 3,200 satellites.
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