AMAZON AND ULA SEND MORE KUIPER SATELLITES SKYWARD

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket roared into orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying 27 satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper, a broadband network designed to deliver high-speed internet worldwide.

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A SECOND WAVE OF BROADBAND SATELLITES

This second batch of operational satellites joins an earlier group launched on the same rocket type, boosting the constellation's early total to 54. The mission, dubbed Kuiper 2, marks another step toward Amazon's goal of a 3,232-satellite network to rival SpaceX's Starlink.

The Atlas V, in its most powerful 551 configuration with five solid rocket boosters, hauled the heaviest payload it has ever carried. After liftoff, the rocket’s boosters separated, followed by the payload fairing, which protected the satellites during ascent. The Centaur upper stage then guided the spacecraft to a low Earth orbit at 280 miles, where they will use electric thrusters to climb to a final altitude of 392 miles. The mission's success adds momentum to Amazon's plan to connect unserved and underserved communities.

Amazon's satellites, built in Kirkland, Washington, feature optical inter-satellite links for faster data transfer, aiming for low-latency internet. The company faces a tight deadline to deploy half its constellation—1,616 satellites—to meet Federal Communications Commission requirements. With only six Atlas V launches left in its contract, Amazon is leaning on ULA‘s next-generation Vulcan rocket and other providers to scale up quickly.

OVERCOMING LAUNCH HURDLES

The Kuiper 2 mission faced challenges before reaching the launch pad. An earlier attempt was scrubbed due to a temperature issue with the Atlas V's RD-180 engine, which burns kerosene and liquid oxygen. Engineers resolved the problem, ensuring the rocket’s 860,200 pounds of thrust powered the satellites into orbit without issue. Weather also posed concerns, with cumulus clouds threatening liftoff, but conditions cleared enough for a successful launch.