Project Kuiper to Open Satellite Gateway in Cork, Ireland
Amazon's Kuiper said it will invest in the EU's space sector
Naomi Jindra
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2025 — Amazon’s Project Kuiper is expanding its European footprint with a new satellite gateway in Ireland, a move aimed at strengthening the company’s low-Earth-orbit broadband network.
Ireland’s Commission for Communications Regulation, or ComReg, approved construction of a satellite earth station gateway at the National Space Centre in Cork.
In a press release, Amazon described the approval as “an important milestone in Project Kuiper’s mission to deliver fast, reliable broadband across Europe and beyond.”
Holly Sullivan, Amazon’s vice president of global economic development, was joined by Rory Fitzpatrick, CEO of the National Space Centre, and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin at the announcement. Martin, a native of Cork, said the project supports Ireland’s long-term digital goals.
“This approval aligns perfectly with our National Digital Strategy to ensure Ireland remains a leader in technology, with high-speed connectivity in every corner of our country by 2028,” Martin said. “We welcome this partnership between the National Space Centre and Project Kuiper and look forward to the positive impact this will have.”
The Cork gateway will serve as a key ground link in the network, connecting Kuiper satellites to the internet backbone and supporting broadband delivery across Europe. The ComReg license allows Amazon to operate the new gateway station, expanding access to high-speed connectivity for homes, businesses, schools, and community institutions in areas where internet access has been limited.
Amazon said the new gateway underscored its commitment to Europe’s space and connectivity sector. An economic impact study conducted by Oxford Economics found that Project Kuiper’s spending in the European Union will contribute over $3.2 billion to GDP over the next decade.
The study estimated that the investment will support an average of 3,270 jobs annually across the EU, peaking at 6,610 jobs in 2025 and over a quarter of Amazon's publicly announced investments in Project Kuiper will be directed toward the EU space sector according to Amazon
Project Kuiper is partnering with more than 20 European companies across the space industry value chain, and about 26 percent of Amazon’s announced investments in the project will be directed toward the EU space sector.
“The National Space Centre is proud to partner with Amazon to deliver Project Kuiper in Ireland,” Fitzpatrick said. “This collaboration highlights Elfordstown’s role as a hub for cutting-edge satellite communications and strengthens Ireland’s position in the global space sector.”
The announcement came shortly after Amazon’s Kuiper 3 mission lifted off aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, which carried 27 satellites into low Earth orbit for the company’s Project Kuiper broadband network. The rocket launched Tuesday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, raising the total number of Kuiper satellites in orbit to 129.
ULA scheduled five additional Kuiper launches on the Atlas V before shifting to 38 missions on its new Vulcan rocket. The company was expected to deliver more than half of the 3,200 satellites planned for Amazon’s global broadband constellation.
Ricky Freeman, president of government solutions for Project Kuiper, said last week that Amazon remained on course to begin offering internet service in the United States in early 2026
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