Amazon.com Inc. AMZN successfully launched its second batch of Kuiper satellites, heightening the rivalry with Elon Musk‘s SpaceX.
What Happened: On Monday, 27 new Kuiper satellites were launched into low Earth orbit, furthering Amazon’s ambitious Project Kuiper, CNBC reported. The launch was conducted by a United Launch Alliance rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This mission had been postponed twice due to unfavorable weather conditions and a rocket booster issue. The new satellites add to the 27 Kuiper satellites Amazon successfully launched in April, marking the early phase of the company’s planned 3,236-satellite constellation.
“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,” announced Ben Chilton, an ordnance engineer at ULA, during the livestream.
Founded by Jeff Bezos, Amazon is directly competing with SpaceX’s Starlink, which currently leads the market with 8,000 satellites in orbit. The Federal Communications Commission has issued a deadline to Amazon to launch half of its total constellation, i.e., 1,618 satellites, by July 2026.
The company has secured more than 80 launch agreements with multiple providers, including SpaceX, to deploy its Kuiper satellites into orbit.
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Why It Matters: Amazon’s entry into the satellite internet market in April 2025 marked the beginning of a high-stakes battle with SpaceX. The launch of the first operational satellites for its ambitious Project Kuiper signaled Amazon’s intent to challenge Starlink’s dominance.
Moreover, Amazon has been actively retraining its warehouse workers for satellite jobs, as part of its upskilling initiative. This move is transforming the company’s workforce and contributing to the emergence of Washington state as the nation’s commercial space hub.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
