Cape Canaveral, Florida – June 23, 2025 – United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched Amazon’s second batch of Project Kuiper internet satellites today, propelling 27 new spacecraft into low Earth orbit aboard an Atlas V rocket. The mission, designated Kuiper 2 (or KA-02), lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, at 6:54 a.m. EDT (1054 UTC), marking another significant step in Amazon’s ambitious plan to provide global broadband internet access.
The launch comes after a brief delay from its originally scheduled date of June 16, due to an “engineering observation of an elevated purge temperature within the booster engine.” ULA’s team thoroughly evaluated the hardware, ensuring the Atlas V 551 rocket was in optimal condition for its critical mission. Today’s launch proceeded smoothly, with favorable weather conditions at the launch site.
Building the Constellation: A Step-by-Step Deployment
This mission follows the successful deployment of Amazon’s first 27 operational Kuiper satellites (Kuiper 1 or KA-01) on April 28, 2025, also aboard a ULA Atlas V. With the addition of these 27 new satellites, the Project Kuiper constellation now boasts 54 spacecraft in orbit, doubling its initial operational size.
Project Kuiper is Amazon’s answer to the growing demand for global high-speed internet, particularly in unserved and underserved communities. The company aims to deploy a constellation of over 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to achieve this goal. This extensive network will utilize a global network of ground stations and on-Earth infrastructure running on Amazon Web Services to deliver fast and reliable internet service.
The Atlas V: A Reliable Workhorse for Kuiper
The Atlas V rocket, flying in its robust 551 configuration, is proving to be a workhorse for Amazon’s initial Kuiper deployments. This configuration features a 5-meter diameter payload fairing and five side-mounted solid rocket boosters, providing the necessary thrust to lift the heavy Kuiper satellite payloads. The Atlas V stands approximately 205 feet (62.5 meters) tall and generates a combined thrust of 2.7 million pounds (12 mega Newtons) at liftoff. The Kuiper payloads, weighing a total of 34,000 pounds (15,400 kilograms), represent the heaviest ever carried by an Atlas rocket.
During the mission, the satellites are released in a meticulously choreographed sequence from a special dispensing tower. This process involves the most separation events ever performed in a single Atlas launch, ensuring precise deployment of each satellite into its designated preliminary orbit of approximately 280 miles (450 kilometers) above Earth. Once in this initial orbit, the Project Kuiper team at their 24/7 mission operations center in Redmond, Washington, will take over command, confirm satellite health, and then raise the satellites to their assigned operational orbits.
Amazon’s Ambitious Launch Cadence
Today’s launch is just the beginning of a massive deployment effort for Project Kuiper. Amazon has secured a historic commercial launch services agreement, planning more than 80 launches to deploy its initial constellation. This includes a significant reliance on ULA, with eight Atlas V and 38 Vulcan rockets, demonstrating a strong partnership between the two companies. In addition to ULA, Amazon has also partnered with Arianespace for 18 Ariane 6 launches, Blue Origin for 12 New Glenn launches (with an option for 15 more), and SpaceX for three Falcon 9 launches. This multi-provider strategy highlights Amazon’s commitment to rapidly building out its constellation and mitigating potential launch delays.
The urgency stems from a requirement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which mandates that Amazon must have at least half of its planned first-generation constellation of over 3,200 satellites in operation by the end of July 2026. With the successful Kuiper 1 and Kuiper 2 missions, Amazon is making steady progress towards this ambitious deadline.
Project Kuiper’s Vision and Impact
Project Kuiper’s mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers and communities globally, addressing the digital divide that persists in many regions. The system is designed to serve a wide range of users, from individual households to schools, hospitals, businesses, and government agencies operating in areas with limited or no traditional connectivity.
Beyond connectivity, Amazon and Project Kuiper engineers are also focusing on sustainability and minimizing the impact on space. Kuiper satellites are designed to reduce the risk of orbital debris, a growing concern in the space industry. Furthermore, Amazon is actively collaborating with astronomers to explore ways to reduce the satellites’ visibility and minimize interference with astronomical research and general stargazing.
As the Kuiper constellation grows, Amazon expects to begin delivering internet service to customers in late 2025, marking a transformative moment for global connectivity. Today’s successful launch of Kuiper 2 is a crucial step towards realizing that vision, demonstrating Amazon’s commitment and capability in the burgeoning satellite internet market. The successful rollout of these batches of satellites will pave the way for a new era of global connectivity, bringing the power of the internet to more people and places than ever before.
