Amazon launches second batch of Kuiper internet satellites, taking on Elon Musk's Starlink
Amazon's second batch of Kuiper internet satellites reached low Earth orbit on Monday, adding to its plans for a massive constellation and ramping up competition with SpaceX's Starlink.
A United Launch Alliance rocket carrying 27 Kuiper satellites lifted off from a launchpad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:54 a.m. ET, according to a livestream.
"We have ignition and lift off of United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper internet constellation, continuing a new chapter in low Earth orbit satellite connectivity," Ben Chilton, an ordnance engineer at ULA, said on the livestream following the launch.
Monday's mission was rescheduled twice, owing to inclement weather and a problem with the rocket booster.
Six years ago, Amazon unveiled its plans to build a constellation of internet-beaming satellites in low Earth orbit, called Project Kuiper. The service will compete directly with Elon Musk's Starlink, which currently dominates the market and has 8,000 satellites in orbit.
Amazon in April successfully sent up 27 Kuiper internet satellites into low Earth orbit, a region of space that's within 1,200 miles of the Earth's surface.
The 54 craft currently in orbit are the start of Amazon's planned constellation of 3,236 satellites. The company has to meet a Federal Communications Commission deadline to launch half of its total constellation, or 1,618 satellites, by July 2026.
The company has booked more than 80 launches with several providers, including rival SpaceX, to deliver Kuiper its satellites into orbit.
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