Challenging Starlink! Amazon’s Kuiper Internet Satellites Successfully Enter Space | WPN World People News

Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation has launched into low Earth orbit for the first time, marking the beginning of its competition with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications network.

A total of 27 Kuiper satellites were launched aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Florida, USA, at around 7 p.m. local time on April 28. According to Amazon, the rocket will initially deploy the satellites into an orbit approximately 450 kilometers above Earth, after which the satellites will use their onboard propulsion systems to reach a final orbit at an altitude of 631 kilometers.

Currently, the dominant provider of internet services across the country—including to consumers, businesses, and government organizations—is SpaceX’s Starlink division. To compete with it, Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to deploy more than 3,000 satellites into low Earth orbit.

Project Kuiper previously launched two prototype satellites in October 2023. Amazon estimates that the project will cost over $10 billion.