Amazon scrubs first launch of space internet satellites
Jeff Bezos suffered a setback in his ambition to take on Elon Musk 's Starlink network after Amazon was forced to scrub the first ever launch of its Kuiper internet satellites.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) had been due to send 27 of Amazon 's first operational Project Kuiper satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral in Florida, however thick clouds and nearby rain breached launch safety rules.
'It is confirmed that we will not continue with the Amazon Project Kuiper 1 launch activities today,' ULA launch commentator Caleb Weiss said during the livestream. A new date has not yet been set.
Project Kuiper is Amazon's multi-billion dollar attempt to build a global satellite internet network that could rival SpaceX's Starlink constellation, which has already deployed more than 6,750 satellites and begun commercial operations in more than 100 countries around the world.
Amazon has said it plans to launch more than 3,200 Kuiper satellites, having secured more than 80 launches to deploy the initial constellation.
Contracts include ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin – the space firm founded by Bezos – and even SpaceX.
'We've designed some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, and every launch is an opportunity to add more capacity and coverage to our network,' Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Project Kuiper, said ahead of the latest launch attempt.
'We've done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight, and this will be the first time we've flown our final satellite design and the first time we've deployed so many satellites at once.'
Two prototype Kuiper satellites were successfully launched in October 2023, with Amazon since improving the performance of propulsion systems, processors and inter-satellite links.
Once deployed, the satellites will activate onboard systems and use their electric propulsion systems to ascend to their assigned orbit of 630 kilometres (392 miles).
Amazon workers will then test network connectivity by sending data up to the satellites and back down to terminals on the ground.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
'Digital photo frames are perfect for Father's Day - they're so good I got four'
Currently half price at Amazon, this is a gift that combines sentimentality and technology Father's Day is an opportunity to show the men in our lives how much they mean to us. And while whiskey, aftershave and grooming sets are all worthy gifts, they can sometimes feel a bit repetitive. Dor those looking for a gift a little outside of the usual suspects this June, I've got the perfect present idea. The Frameo 10.1 inch digital photo frame from Amazon, is the ultimate combination of thoughtful and practical. And the best part is that they're currently half price, making them cheaper than they were on Black Friday. And if you've left it last minute and happen to be a Prime member, next day delivery is free, too. Usually £99.98, the frames are currently reduced to £49.98, saving 50% on the RRP for the plain black frame. Those wanting something slightly more premium looking could opt for one of the wood effect frames for £69.98, but the sleek black version will fit in with most decor choices with ease. The frame is really easy to set up. After plugging it in, it walks you through the set up, which includes downloading the compatible free Frameo app, which is what the owner, and their family and friends can use to upload images to the frame. There are other similar apps available, for example Kodak has their own digital photo frame available at Argos for £79.99. Their version uses its own app, and has earned 14 reviews from shoppers, one of which wrote: 'Bought this as a christmas present for my parents and they love it, it's so nice to be able to share photos with them while I'm away from home.' Digital Photo Frame £99.98 £49.98 Amazon Buy here Product Description For a more premium option, the AURA Carver Mat 10.1 Inch Digital Photo Frame is £179 and uses Photo Match to share images. Personally, I've only ever used the Frameo app and find it really easy to navigate. So easy in fact, that when I gifted both sets of grandparents the frame, they were able to set it up themselves with no assistance. Once set up, the Frameo app allows unlimited user connections via a pin code, so each family member can send photos and videos to the frame from anywhere in the world. The frame has a large 32GB storage, which allows for approximately 60,000 photos. For context, I'm a content creator and serial photo taker and haven't quite hit that number on my camera roll in five years. It's ample for the average person. The quality of the photos is great, too, with a 1280x800 HD IPS screen with vibrant colours. It's also touchscreen, so you can browse through photos, delete pictures or videos, and pause the slideshow in seconds. Again, even the most tech-wary users can manage it. A few other standout features are that it can be freestanding or wall mounted, and auto rotates between portrait and landscape. Users can also choose how long each image stays on the screen, and can set it to turn on and off at certain times of the day. My nan recently told me hers comes on at around 5pm, and switches off when she heads to bed at 10pm. My grandparents loved their frames so much, I decided to get my mum one for Mother's Day this year and it was gratefully received. She loves how my brother, sister and I can send her photos of her kids, grandchildren, dogs, family days out, holidays and more. And for the security conscious, the Frameo app doesn't store or access your media either, ensuring it remains private - ideal for my sister-in-law who has her frame on her bedside displaying photos of her little boy. The Amazon frame has a 4.5 star rating based on more than 400 reviews, too. One said: 'This is the fourth Frameo picture frame I have purchased. They have all been excellent and I love the large screen on this model. The picture quality is outstanding. Everyone who sees it is captivated. I believe these offer good value for money. It is easy to use, has some useful features, and I appreciate the SD card slot which makes it easy to transfer images from my PC. I've never had a problem with the touch screen. The only downsides are: it takes a while to boot up; I would appreciate more options for display order, including the ability to remember where it left off when it goes to sleep (if you set a sleep interval); and the ability to display the file name or other selected metadata from the image.' Another said: 'This is my third Frameo digital frame. I bought the first one for myself and I was amazed by the quality of pictures and the product itself. The second one was a gift for my Dad and the third one a gift for my son's grandmother. Frame always comes in a very nice box, it looks already like a gift. The screen and photos look clear and bright. The Frameo app is quick and easy to use. I like the fact i can add photos and videos as well. Sleeping mode is a great advantage so you don't have to always turn it on and off. My family is more than happy that i can share with them live pictures in the app. We all admire modern design, I can also add that the wood style looks even more fancy than I expected. Overall I think its a great product and value for money.' While the Frameo app is free, there are some paid extras, which saw one shopper leave a three star review. They wrote: 'Brought this as a Xmas present, good clear picture, lots of settings, loses some stars as you can only transfer a few photos wirelessly at a time unless you pay for the premium software. Lots of storage built in! Finally the mains adapter could have been longer as if you're wall mounting it then it has to be fairly close to a mains plug.' For fathers in particular, this is a gift that combines family sentimentality and technology. I know my dad loves gadgets, and has often mentioned what a great gift mum's frame was, so for that reason, I think this is one of the best, most considerate and unexpectedly fabulous gifts you can get the father figure in your life this June. Shop the half price digital photo frame on Amazon here.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Trump-Musk feud live updates: President says Tesla boss will face ‘serious consequences' if he funds Dems to run against GOP
President Donald Trump has said that he has 'no intention' of speaking to Elon Musk following their public blowup over the Republican spending package up for debate in Congress. 'I'm too busy doing other things,' Trump told NBC News on Saturday. 'I have no intention of speaking to him.' 'I think it's a very bad thing, because he's very disrespectful. You could not disrespect the office of the president,' he added. Trump also said that Musk will face 'serious consequences' if he chooses to use his significant wealth to fund Democrats. Musk's opposition to the spending bill could lead the billionaire to fund challengers to Republicans who voted for it. 'If he does, he'll have to pay the consequences for that,' Trump told NBC News. This comes after Musk deleted his tweet in which he claimed that Trump is in 'the Epstein Files.' Musk initially shared the post on Thursday as the spat between him and the president exploded. The billionaire also suggested that Trump should be impeached. 'The Epstein Files' is a phrase used to describe information that U.S. authorities hold on the disgraced financier and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Gustaf Kilander8 June 2025 08:00 Musk was Trump's tweeter-in-chief. Now he's using X against him James Liddell and Alicja Hagopian write: Elon Musk's X profile is like a window into his psyche: an inescapable stream of consciousness where impulsive tweets reveal his unfiltered thoughts and shifting moods. Musk harnessed his social media platform to propel Donald Trump to the White House, feeding anti-Democrat content and election conspiracy theories to his followers. Now Musk is turning that same platform – home to nearly 600 million monthly users – against him. After posting earlier in the week that Trump's signature budget policy was a 'disgusting abomination' that will 'drive America into debt slavery', the billionaire is openly taunting Trump on X, even calling for his impeachment. Musk was Trump's tweeter-in-chief. Now he's using X against him He tweeted about Donald Trump incessantly, then Elon Musk rebuked him. James Liddell and Alicja Hagopian take a look at how the Trump-Musk breakup unfolded, through X Gustaf Kilander8 June 2025 07:00 WATCH: JD Vance breaks his silence on Trump and Musk feud after seeing Elon's Epstein tweet Gustaf Kilander8 June 2025 06:00 VOICES: Why Trump's second state visit to the UK may never happen... Jon Sopel writes: Whatever accusations that detractors could level at Sir Keir Starmer, the words show pony, flashy or flamboyant wouldn't be among them. He hates the performative in politics and isn't much interested in the flummery that goes with high office. However, there has been one notable occasion when he did go in for some carefully rehearsed and orchestrated theatricality. It was when he sat down with Donald Trump in the Oval Office; the world's press was there to record the occasion. He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and produced a letter with the red royal seal on the envelope – and handed it to a beaming Donald Trump. Why Trump's state visit to the UK may never happen... Inviting Trump for an unprecedented second state visit was a clever diplomatic ploy by the PM, writes Jon Sopel. But actually hosting it would be fraught with risks – so is the plan to make it quietly go away? Gustaf Kilander8 June 2025 05:00 Stephen King puts the Trump and Musk feud into perspective with one scathing question Greg Evans writes: The acclaimed author Stephen King has issued a blistering critique of the ongoing feud between US president Donald Trump and his former ally, Elon Musk. This week, the two former allies bitterly fell out with each sharing strong accusations against the other on social media. Musk, who infamously invested millions into Trump's campaign and quickly dubbed himself 'first buddy,' became the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. The department was tasked with slashing the federal budget. However, Musk soon found himself ousted from the president's inner circle after clashing with Trump over his proposed spending bill. 'The world actually has problems,' complained the author when addressing the fallout between the pair Gustaf Kilander8 June 2025 04:00 Donald Trump arrives at a UFC event shortly after sending the National Guard to crush anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles Shortly after the White House issued a statement confirming that it was deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to break up the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, President Donald Trump made an appearance at UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey. Graig Graziosi8 June 2025 03:26 WATCH: Trump defends decision to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back to US to face charges Gustaf Kilander8 June 2025 03:15 Republicans call for an end to Trump-Musk feud: 'I hope it doesn't distract us' Seung Min Kim and Chris Megerian write: As the Republican Party anticipates potential fallout from Donald Trump's public dispute with Elon Musk, prominent lawmakers and conservative voices are calling for reconciliation, wary of the repercussions of a sustained conflict. The animosity between the two figures could pose challenges for the Republican agenda, particularly concerning tax and border spending legislation championed by Trump but criticised by Musk. The US president has played down any reconciliation, calling Musk 'the man who has lost his mind' Gustaf Kilander8 June 2025 02:30 White House confirms Trump is sending 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to squash anti-ICE protests White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles to arrest anti-ICE demonstrators. Her full statement appears below: 'In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California. These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens. That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester. The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs. These criminals will be arrested and swiftly brought to justice. The Commander-in-Chief will ensure the laws of the United States are executed fully and completely.' Graig Graziosi8 June 2025 02:28 Trump threatens to use the federal government to "solve the problem" of anti-ICE protests in California Donald Trump broke his silence on the ongoing protests in Los Angeles against ICE agents who carried out a massive raid in the city this weekend. The president threatened to use the power of the federal government to 'solve the problem' in the city if Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass 'can't do their jobs.' Graig Graziosi8 June 2025 01:50
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Dramatic move by Pentagon hint Trump could be siding with another billionaire amid Musk fallout
The Pentagon appears to be contemplating pivoting away from Elon Musk 's SpaceX following the almighty blowup between President Donald Trump and the world's richest man earlier this week. The fallout appears to be impacting the nation's space program as the Trump administration looks toward another billionaire to replace Musk in the race to Mars. Officials at NASA and the Pentagon quietly reached out to SpaceX's competitors, urging them to accelerate development of alternative rockets and spacecraft. Decisions appear to have been taken quickly after Musk made a defiant threat to pull SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, a lifeline to the International Space Station, after Trump first threatened to cancel SpaceX's lucrative government contracts. 'It turned really terrifying,' one NASA official admitted to the Washington Post after initially finding the feud 'entertaining.' Although Musk eventually walked back his threat, the damage was done. Officials from NASA and the Pentagon, already uneasy with their reliance on SpaceX, were rattled to the core. SpaceX has become indispensable as it transports astronauts and cargo to the ISS, launches sensitive military satellites, and operates Starlink, the world's largest satellite constellation. The flare-up served to remind officials of the risks of tying national interests to a mercurial billionaire. 'When you realize that he's willing to shut everything down just on an impulse … that kind of behavior and the dependence on him is dangerous,' a former space agency official said. NASA insiders said Musk's threat 'crossed a line,' invoking memories of the 2018 episode when Musk smoked marijuana during a podcast interview, which prompted NASA to launch a safety investigation into SpaceX. The clash was also inflamed by the White House's decision to abruptly withdraw Jared Isaacman's nomination as NASA Administrator. Isaacman, closely aligned with Musk, had twice flown to space aboard SpaceX vehicles. In the aftermath, government officials reached out to Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, RocketLab, and Stoke Space, querying when their rockets might be ready to shoulder critical missions. Fatih Ozmen, CEO of Sierra Space, which is developing the Dream Chaser spaceplane, confirmed that NASA was 'working closely' with his company stating, 'NASA mentioned to us that they want diversity and do not want to rely on a single provider.' For some insiders, it wasn't hard to connect the dots: Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin, has long been a rival to Musk. Now, with the Biden-era antagonism between Trump and Bezos thawing, some see a political recalibration. Bezos' Blue Origin has lagged behind SpaceX for years, but its New Glenn rocket is finally gaining traction, albeit slowly. The Pentagon's recent 'lanes' strategy to diversify launch providers now looks prescient, with officials seeking to avoid 'overreliance on any single provider or solution.' A source familiar with the Defense Department's strategy said the White House sees an opening to back Bezos as a counterweight to Musk's volatility. 'They want someone who's predictable,' the person said to The Post. Even Congress appeared to be spooked by the behavior. A key committee demanded updates on Boeing's long-delayed Starliner capsule, which has struggled to match the reliability of Musk's Dragon. NASA, under pressure, said Friday that Starliner's next mission could come 'early 2026,' though it remains unclear whether it will fly astronauts or cargo only. Indeed, just how reliant NASA were on SpaceX was illustrated last year when American astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were left on the International Space Station by Boeing's troubled Starliner capsule. Wilmore and Williams had set off for an eight-day Starliner test flight that swelled into a nine-month stay in space Boeing, which has taken $2 billion in charges on its Starliner development, faces a looming decision by NASA to refly the spacecraft uncrewed before it carries humans again. Boeing spent $410 million to fly a similar uncrewed mission in 2022 after a 2019 testing failure. Reflying Starliner uncrewed 'seems like the logical thing to do,' Williams said, drawing comparisons with Elon Musk's SpaceX and Russian capsules that flew uncrewed missions before putting humans aboard. She and NASA are pushing for that outcome, Williams added. 'I think that's the correct path,' said Williams, who is 'hoping Boeing and NASA will decide on that same course of action' soon. Results from Starliner testing planned throughout the summer are expected to determine whether the spacecraft can fly humans on its next flight, NASA officials have said. Todd Harrison, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, likened Musk's social media post to 'an embargo of the space station.' 'Musk was saying he is going to cut NASA off from its own laboratory in space,' he added. Harrison also recalled Musk's refusal to activate Starlink Internet for a Ukrainian military strike in 2022, a decision that raised alarms about national defense being at the mercy of a single CEO. 'The nation's missile defenses could be held hostage to the twittering whims of Elon Musk,' Harrison warned. Former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, who worked at SpaceX, voiced the fears of many in the astronaut corps: 'When your hopes and dreams are tied up in this, you can't help but think, "Oh my goodness, am I going to fly in space?"' Meanwhile, Trump, who once championed Musk as a visionary, appears to be cooling. His allies note that the president has no tolerance for perceived disloyalty and Musk's defiance has not gone unnoticed. Some aides believe Trump's sharp pivot is personal as much as political. RocketLab's CEO Peter Beck had previously warned how Musk's acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X, and his flirtation with politics could backfire. 'It certainly makes people uncomfortable. At the end of the day, if you're delivering important national security missions, the buck stops with the CEO,' Beck said. Pentagon officials remain wary, not least because few companies have rockets certified for critical national security missions. Blue Origin's New Glenn has flown once, and United Launch Alliance's Vulcan only twice. RocketLab's Neutron has yet to launch at all. SpaceX's Falcon 9 still dominates, launching with near clockwork precision. But now, Trump's administration appears ready to gamble on fostering competition, even if it means leaning more heavily on Bezos. 'Sierra Space stands ready,' Ozmen declared. Others in the sector are similarly jockeying for position, sensing that Musk's once-unshakable grip may be loosening.
