Amazon Sets April 9 Launch Date for First Operational Kuiper Satellites

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2025 – Amazon plans to launch its first batch of operational Project Kuiper satellites on April 9 – a first  step in the company’s effort to build a satellite-based broadband network. 

The launch is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral aboard United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket and will be live streamed on ULA’s website.

“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,” said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Kuiper. “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.”

Project Kuiper, announced in 2019, aims to deploy a constellation of more than 3,000 low Earth orbit satellites to deliver internet access to underserved communities and commercial customers. Amazon has committed $10 billion to the project, though external estimates suggest total startup costs could reach $20 billion.

This mission follows Amazon’s October 2023 test of two prototype satellites. The company says the upcoming launch will be the first to use its final satellite design and the first to deploy multiple satellites at once.

Project Kuiper enters a competitive field led by SpaceX’s Starlink, which has already launched over 7,000 satellites. Other rivals include OneWeb and China’s SpaceSail. Like its competitors, Amazon will offer customer terminals capable of sending and receiving satellite signals.

Amazon faces regulatory pressure to scale up quickly. The Federal Communications Commission requires that half of Kuiper’s constellation – at least 1,618 satellites – be in orbit by July 2026. To meet that goal, Amazon has secured more than 80 launches from ULA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin.