Latest news with #Falcon9
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon's Kuiper satellites to get boost from rival SpaceX
Amazon's race to challenge SpaceX in orbit is getting a helping hand from its chief competitor: SpaceX itself, which will launch the next batch of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites skyward on Wednesday. A flock of 24 Kuiper internet satellites will ride aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket before dawn. The mission, dubbed KF-01, has a 27-minute launch window that opens at 2:18 AM ET and will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Once complete, it will bring the total number of Kuiper satellites on orbit to 78. Amazon ultimately plans to deploy more than 3,200 spacecraft in its first generation constellation in low Earth orbit, aiming to stake a serious claim in the satellite internet market — a market that is currently dominated by SpaceX's Starlink's network of roughly 8,000 satellites. While Kuiper and SpaceX may make for strange bedfellows, Jeff Bezos' Amazon inked a three-launch deal with SpaceX back in December 2023. That agreement came scarcely two months after the e-commerce giant faced a lawsuit from shareholders over an earlier decision not to consider SpaceX when it doled out its first round of lucrative launch contracts, even though the Falcon 9 is the most reliable rocket flying today. The catch is, at least half of Kuiper's initial constellation must be deployed by by the end of July 2026, per its license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The clock is ticking: among the other selected launch providers — United Launch Alliance (ULA), Arianespace, and Blue Origin — only ULA has an operational rocket available to carry satellites to orbit. ULA launched the first two batches of Kuiper satellites; the first batch launched in April. Blue Origin, Bezos' other company, will eventually carry Kuiper satellites on its massive New Glenn rocket, but it has only flown once so far, and it did not manage to recover the booster. The second launch is currently scheduled for August 15. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TechCrunch
9 hours ago
- Business
- TechCrunch
Amazon's Kuiper satellites to get boost from rival SpaceX
Amazon's race to challenge SpaceX in orbit is getting a helping hand from its chief competitor: SpaceX itself, which will launch the next batch of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites skyward on Wednesday. A flock of 24 Kuiper internet satellites will ride aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket before dawn. The mission, dubbed KF-01, has a 27-minute launch window that opens at 2:18 AM ET and will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Once complete, it will bring the total number of Kuiper satellites on orbit to 78. Amazon ultimately plans to deploy more than 3,200 spacecraft in its first generation constellation in low Earth orbit, aiming to stake a serious claim in the satellite internet market — a market that is currently dominated by SpaceX's Starlink's network of roughly 8,000 satellites. While Kuiper and SpaceX may make for strange bedfellows, Jeff Bezos' Amazon inked a three-launch deal with SpaceX back in December 2023. That agreement came scarcely two months after the e-commerce giant faced a lawsuit from shareholders over an earlier decision not to consider SpaceX when it doled out its first round of lucrative launch contracts, even though the Falcon 9 is the most reliable rocket flying today. The catch is, at least half of Kuiper's initial constellation must be deployed by by the end of July 2026, per its license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The clock is ticking: among the other selected launch providers — United Launch Alliance (ULA), Arianespace, and Blue Origin — only ULA has an operational rocket available to carry satellites to orbit. ULA launched the first two batches of Kuiper satellites; the first batch launched in April. Blue Origin, Bezos' other company, will eventually carry Kuiper satellites on its massive New Glenn rocket, but it has only flown once so far, and it did not manage to recover the booster. The second launch is currently scheduled for August 15.
CNBC
11 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
Amazon turns to rival SpaceX to launch next batch of Kuiper internet satellites
As Amazon chases SpaceX in the internet satellite market, the e-commerce and computing giant is now counting on Elon Musk's rival company to get its next batch of devices into space. On Wednesday, weather permitting, 24 Kuiper satellites will hitch a ride on one of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets from a launchpad on Florida's Space Coast. A 27-minute launch window for the mission, dubbed "KF-01," opens at 2:18 a.m. ET. The launch will be livestreamed on X, the social media platform also owned by Musk. The mission marks an unusual alliance. SpaceX's Starlink is currently the dominant provider of low earth orbit satellite internet, with a constellation of roughly 8,000 satellites and about 5 million customers worldwide. Amazon launched Project Kuiper in 2019 with an aim to provide broadband internet from a constellation of more than 3,000 satellites. The company is working under a tight deadline imposed by the Federal Communications Commission that requires it to have about 1,600 satellites in orbit by the end of July 2026. Amazon's first two Kuiper launches came in April and June, sending 27 satellites each time aboard rockets supplied by United Launch Alliance. Assuming Wednesday's launch is a success, Amazon will have a total of 78 satellites in orbit. In order to meet the FCC's tight deadline, Amazon needs to rapidly manufacture and deploy satellites, securing a hefty amount of capacity from rocket providers. Kuiper has booked up to 83 launches, including three rides with SpaceX. Space has emerged as a battleground between Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, two of the world's richest men. Aside from Kuiper, Bezos also competes with Musk via his rocket company Blue Origin. Blue Origin in January sent up its massive New Glenn rocket for the first time, which is intended to rival SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rockets. While Blue Origin currently trails SpaceX, Bezos last year predicted his latest venture will one day be bigger than Amazon, which he started in 1994. Kuiper has become one of Amazon's biggest bets, with more than $10 billion earmarked for the project. The company may need to spend as much as $23 billion to build its full constellation, analysts at Bank of America wrote in a note to clients last week. That figure doesn't include the cost of building terminals, which consumers will use to connect to the service. The analysts estimate Amazon is spending $150 million per launch this year, while satellite production costs are projected to total $1.1 billion by the fourth quarter. Amazon is going after a market that's expected to grow to at least $40 billion by 2030, the analysts wrote, citing estimates by Boston Consulting Group. The firm estimated that Amazon could generate $7.1 billion in sales from Kuiper by 2032 if it claims 30% of the market. "With Starlink's solid early growth, our estimates could be conservative," the analysts wrote.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Toyota to Honda: Why automakers are building rockets and racing into space
In a landmark achievement that's turning heads across both the automotive and aerospace industries, Honda successfully launched and landed a reusable experimental rocket in June 2025. Conducted at its facility in Taiki, Hokkaido, the test saw the 6.3-meter-long rocket reach 271 meters in altitude before landing with remarkable precision, just 37 centimeters from its target. This makes Honda the first company outside the US and China to demonstrate working reusable rocket technology . While the brand is best known for two-wheelers and sedans, this move signals a bold diversification into space. But Honda isn't alone; global automakers like Toyota and Geely are increasingly shifting gears into orbital ambitions. SpaceX is leading the private space industry with frequent launches, reusable rockets, and its Starlink satellite constellation, setting a benchmark that others now aim to match. The space race is no longer just for space agencies—it's becoming an auto industry frontier. Honda's reusable rocket milestone Honda's test rocket, weighing around 1,312 kg when fully fueled, showcases years of behind-the-scenes work on spaceflight systems. Since 2021, the company has been developing core space technologies focused on reusable rocketry, precision landings, and stable autonomous flight. The successful test is just the first step; Honda aims to achieve suborbital launch capability by 2029, eventually entering the satellite deployment market. It sees space as a natural extension of its work in robotics, mobility, and renewable energy—fields that will all play vital roles in future off-world infrastructure. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pernas e tornozelos inchados? Descubra o que pode ajudar a drenar agora aartedoherbalismo Undo Toyota's space ambitions Toyota, Japan's largest automaker, has also been building its presence in the space sector. Through its subsidiary Woven by Toyota, the company plans to begin mass production of rockets in the early 2030s. Toyota's strength in automation and manufacturing scalability gives it a competitive edge in producing reliable, cost-effective launch systems. Beyond rocketry, Toyota is also involved in lunar exploration, having partnered with JAXA (Japan's space agency) to develop a crewed moon rover called the Lunar Cruiser. These ventures reflect Toyota's vision of expanding mobility beyond the planet. Tesla and SpaceX: Leading the charge Tesla's connection to the space industry runs deep through Elon Musk's aerospace venture, SpaceX. While not directly part of Tesla, SpaceX is a pioneer in reusable rockets and satellite internet infrastructure. Its Falcon 9 and Starship programs have drastically lowered launch costs and made frequent space travel more viable. SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation already supports internet access worldwide, including for Tesla vehicles in remote areas. This synergy between automotive innovation and space infrastructure highlights how intertwined the two sectors have become. Other automakers exploring space Geely (China): The parent company of Volvo and Lotus, Geely operates Geespace, which plans to deploy hundreds of low-Earth orbit satellites to support autonomous driving and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. Hyundai: Actively investing in lunar robotics and AI to support future space missions. These efforts suggest that space is becoming a common strategic frontier for automakers aiming to diversify their operations and technologies. Why the auto industry is looking to the stars As space becomes increasingly integral to communication, navigation, and data infrastructure, automakers are realizing they can no longer afford to stay grounded. With their deep expertise in systems engineering, manufacturing precision, and automation, car companies are uniquely positioned to contribute to and benefit from the booming space economy. From supporting autonomous vehicle connectivity to developing next-generation mobility platforms, the automotive industry sees the final frontier not just as an exploration challenge but as a strategic expansion of their core competencies. Here's why more automakers are now setting their sights on the stars: Satellite connectivity: Modern vehicles increasingly depend on satellite systems for real-time GPS navigation, over-the-air updates, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, and autonomous driving technologies. By investing in space infrastructure, automakers can ensure more reliable, secure, and tailored connectivity services for their global fleets—especially in remote or underserved regions. Engineering expertise: Automakers have decades of experience in combustion systems, lightweight materials, aerodynamics, and mechatronics. These core engineering competencies translate directly into rocket design and space systems development, allowing them to innovate in areas like fuel efficiency, structural integrity, and advanced control mechanisms. Cost control: Relying on external providers for satellite launches or data access can be expensive and limiting. By developing in-house space launch capabilities or owning satellite constellations, companies can significantly reduce operational costs, gain better control over data infrastructure, and enhance independence in an increasingly competitive market. New revenue streams: Space opens up lucrative new business models—from deploying and operating satellite networks to offering space-based logistics, communications services, and even Earth observation data. These ventures allow automakers to diversify beyond vehicle sales and tap into the multibillion-dollar global space economy. Mobility evolution: The concept of mobility is evolving from road-based transport to interplanetary logistics. Automakers are exploring technologies for lunar rovers, Mars exploration vehicles, and orbital transportation. By participating in early space infrastructure, they aim to shape the future of off-Earth mobility, logistics, and life-support systems.
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First Post
19 hours ago
- Science
- First Post
'Spent sleepless nights...': Shubhanshu Shukla back safe, Isro chief says Gaganyan next
The Isro chief added that they have gained a lot of input that will help them advance in areas like space research, health, and more, highlighting the mission's broader impact on India's space ambitions read more India is buzzing with pride as astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his three crewmates safely returned to Earth on Tuesday (July 15), a moment Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman V. Narayanan called 'big' for the country. Reflecting on the mission's rocky start, Narayanan admitted to Network 18 that a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket kept him up at night. I 'spent sleepless nights" when the leak hit the vehicle, he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'It's a big moment for India. I spent sleepless nights when there was a leak in the vehicle," he said. When asked how Shukla's mission boosts India's space programme, Narayanan explained that it's a big step forward. Narayanan also shared that the Axiom-4 mission has provided key insights for India's Gaganyaan program. He added that they have gained a lot of input that will help them advance in areas like space research, health, and more, highlighting the mission's broader impact on India's space ambitions. Shukla and his Axiom-4 team splashed down off the California coast at 3:01 pm IST on Tuesday, wrapping up nearly three weeks in space. The Dragon spacecraft, carrying the crew, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday after an 18-day mission. The Axiom-4 mission, which took four astronauts to the ISS, faced multiple delays due to rocket issues. A liquid oxygen leak was found during pre-launch checks, and while SpaceX initially thought they could fix it quickly, they ultimately postponed the launch to ensure proper repairs. On June 25, Shukla, along with Commander Peggy Whitson, Mission Specialist Slawosz 'Suave' Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu, finally blasted off from Florida. Shukla's journey is a historic milestone—he's the first Indian to visit the ISS and the second Indian in space, following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's 1984 flight. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His mission has cemented India's growing presence in the global space race, and the nation is celebrating its latest space hero. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shukla upon his safe return, saying he has inspired 'a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit'. 'I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to Space. As India's first astronaut to have visited International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit. It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission - Gaganyaan,' Modi wrote on X.
