Amazon Enters Space Internet Race with First Kuiper Satellites Launch
Amazon has successfully launched its first batch of 27 satellites for Project Kuiper, marking the beginning of its ambitious $10 billion plan to build a global broadband internet network. The satellites were carried into space on April 28, 2025, by a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This launch is part of Amazon’s effort to deploy 3,236 satellites in low-Earth orbit. The company must place at least half of them, 1,618 satellites, into space by mid-2026 to meet US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements. Analysts suggest that Amazon may need an extension due to its slow start.
Project Kuiper aims to provide internet access, particularly in remote areas with limited connectivity. Amazon plans to begin offering services to customers later this year, starting with some northern and southern regions before expanding coverage toward the equator. The company has already tested two prototype satellites in 2023, which it later de-orbited.
Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to dominate the satellite internet market, having launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites since 2019. Its rapid deployment, now averaging one mission per week, has given it more than 5 million users across 125 countries, along with contracts from military and intelligence agencies.
Amazon’s Kuiper terminals, unveiled in 2023, include a compact, Kindle-sized antenna expected to cost under $400. The company has secured 83 rocket launches from ULA, Arianespace, and Blue Origin to support its satellite deployment.
Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos has expressed confidence in Kuiper’s ability to compete with Starlink, citing strong demand for internet services. “There’s room for lots of winners,” he said in a January interview.
