Key Points
- Amazon launched 24 more of its Project Kuiper internet satellites on Monday.
- The launch used a rocket from its main rival, Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This brings Amazon’s total number of satellites in orbit to 102.
- Amazon is racing to meet an FCC deadline to launch 1,600 satellites by 2026.
- SpaceX’s Starlink is the dominant competitor with around 8,000 satellites already in orbit.
Amazon successfully launched another batch of its Project Kuiper internet satellites into orbit on Monday, relying on a rocket from its main rival, SpaceX. The launch, which took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, had been delayed four times over the past few days due to bad weather.
This mission successfully deployed 24 new satellites, bringing Amazon’s total in orbit to 102. It’s the second time Amazon has turned to Elon Musk’s SpaceX for a ride to space, highlighting the intense pressure the company is under to build out its satellite internet network.
Amazon is racing to catch up with SpaceX’s Starlink, which is currently the dominant player in the satellite internet market. Starlink already has a massive constellation of roughly 8,000 satellites and serves about 5 million customers worldwide.
The rush is driven by a strict deadline from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The agency requires Amazon to have at least 1,600 satellites in orbit by July 2026, and its full 3,236-satellite network launched by 2029. To meet this goal, Amazon has booked up to 83 rocket launches, including three with SpaceX.
While still in the early stages of building its network, Amazon is already making deals with governments and hopes to begin offering commercial service to customers later this year.
