Amazon’s internet-from-space dreams just took flight — literally.
The company officially launched its first batch of Project Kuiper satellites this week, taking its first big step toward competing with SpaceX’s Starlink in the race for global broadband domination.
The launch that kickstarted it all
Late Monday evening, 27 shiny new Project Kuiper satellites hitched a ride on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
They're now chilling about 280 miles above Earth, getting ready to beam internet from space.
This launch, called the KA-01 mission, is just the beginning. Amazon plans to eventually deploy a massive fleet of at least 3,200 satellites to blanket the planet with high-speed internet.
Think of it like building a cosmic Wi-Fi router — one satellite at a time.
Why this mission was a big deal
Sure, Amazon has done some ground testing before, but this is the first time they’re flying their final satellite design — and deploying this many satellites at once.
Rajeev Badyal, VP of Project Kuiper, said it best: “You can only learn so much in a lab. The real test is out there in orbit.”
This is just the start. Amazon and ULA plan multiple launches throughout 2025 to keep Kuiper’s constellation growing.
Fun fact: while the Atlas V can carry 27 Kuiper satellites per launch, ULA’s newer Vulcan rocket will be able to haul up to 45 at once.
Amazon also plans to use the massive New Glenn rocket from Blue Origin to turbocharge the deployment in the future.
Starlink’s head start is no joke
Amazon’s got big ambitions, but let's be real — SpaceX’s Starlink is already miles ahead.
Since 2019, Elon Musk’s team has about 7,000 satellites currently in low-Earth orbit and has a user base of over 5 million paying customers worldwide.
That's a huge lead, and it's not going to be easy for Amazon to catch up anytime soon.
The road ahead
Even though it’s still early days, Amazon’s Kuiper project could be a serious player if it sticks the landing (no pun intended!).
It’ll take years — and a lot of rockets — before Kuiper can challenge Starlink’s dominance.
But one thing’s for sure: the space internet wars have officially kicked off, and we’re here for it.
