Atlas 5 Rocket Delivers 27 Amazon Project Kuiper Satellites to Orbit

Flying in its most powerful 551 configuration, the Atlas 5 successfully deployed 27 satellites for Amazon’s broadband constellation. This marks the third production launch of Kuiper satellites by ULA and the fifth overall mission for the growing network.

Less than two minutes into flight, the rocket’s five GEM 63 solid boosters, built by Northrop Grumman, were jettisoned as the RD-180 main engine continued the climb to space. The satellites were released into an initial orbit about 280 miles (450 km) above Earth, with separation concluding roughly 35 minutes after liftoff.

Control of the satellites has now transferred to Amazon’s Project Kuiper operations center in Redmond, Washington, where engineers will verify their health and gradually maneuver them to a final orbit of 392 miles (630 km). With this mission, Amazon’s orbital fleet now numbers 129 satellites.

The launch comes amid Amazon’s steady expansion of Kuiper, aimed at providing global broadband services. Earlier this month, the company announced JetBlue as its first airline partner, with in-flight Kuiper service scheduled to begin in 2027.

Ricky Freeman, president of Project Kuiper Government Solutions, told attendees at World Space Business Week that Amazon expects to surpass 200 satellites in orbit by the end of 2025. Future launches are secured across multiple providers, including SpaceX’s Falcon 9, ULA’s Vulcan and Atlas 5 rockets, Arianespace’s Ariane 6, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn. ULA’s Vulcan, capable of carrying up to 45 Kuiper satellites in a single flight, could play a key role in accelerating deployment.

Amazon recently disclosed that more than 80 satellites are staged at its Payload Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Service rollouts are planned for the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom by early 2026, with coverage expanding to 57 countries in 2027 and nearly 100 countries by the end of 2028.

By Azhar