SpaceX rocket to launch Amazon broadband satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will take flight during a 1½-hour launch window extending from 2:10 a.m. to 3:38 a.m. Wednesday, July 16, a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational advisory indicates.
The Falcon 9 will deploy a batch of Project Kuiper satellites for Amazon's early stage satellite internet constellation, the Space Coast Office of Tourism reported. What's more, this mission represents the first of a three-launch contract.
Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team launch coverage updates will kick off about 90 minutes before the early morning launch window opens.
When SpaceX's live webcast begins about five minutes before liftoff, look for it posted below next to our countdown clock.
In total, Amazon has more than 80 future launches lined up with SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and Arianespace to create its $10 billion worldwide high-speed internet network, which should someday surpass 3,200 satellites.
Amazon officials hope Project Kuiper will eventually compete with SpaceX's well-established Starlink constellation, which has nearly 8,000 satellites in orbit — and more than six million customers.
But thus far, Amazon has only launched a combined 54 Project Kuiper satellites during two ULA missions — one on April 28, the second on June 23 — using Atlas V rockets from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Wednesday's SpaceX represents Project Kuiper's third launch of production satellites.
On Sunday, July 13, SpaceX marked its 500 Falcon 9 mission by launching the Commercial GTO-1 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The liftoff sent Israel's first national communications satellite, Dror 1, up into orbit.
"Built by Israel Aerospace Industries, this $200M 'smartphone in space' will power Israel's strategic and civilian communications for 15 years. A bold leap for Israeli innovation!" Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a tweet.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Internet rivals team up: SpaceX to launch Amazon satellites into orbit
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