Amazon Crosses 100-Satellite Milestone After Weather-Delayed Kuiper Mission
Amazon successfully launched another set of internet-delivering satellites into orbit on Monday using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, overcoming multiple delays caused by unfavorable weather.
This marks the fourth mission under Project Kuiper, bringing Amazon’s total number of satellites in orbit to 102. The Falcon 9 took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 8:35 a.m. ET, and about an hour later, all 24 satellites were confirmed to have deployed successfully.
Originally scheduled for launch last Thursday, the mission faced four postponements due to persistent rainfall. For the second time, Amazon partnered with its industry rival, SpaceX, to accelerate the buildout of its low-Earth orbit network. SpaceX’s Starlink currently leads the market, operating around 8,000 satellites and serving roughly 5 million global customers.
Amazon is working against an FCC deadline requiring approximately 1,600 satellites to be in orbit by July 2026, with the full 3,236-satellite constellation expected by July 2029. The company has secured up to 83 launches to meet these targets, including three with SpaceX, and has already formed agreements with various governments as it aims to roll out commercial service later this year.
