Don’t Miss SpaceX’s Monday Launch of 24 Amazon Project Kuiper Internet Satellites After Delay
Amazon’s Project Kuiper is expanding its broadband megaconstellation with an upcoming satellite launch. Originally planned for October 9, SpaceX has rescheduled it to October 13. The launch will occur from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:58 p.m. EDT (2358 GMT).
Launch Details and Preparations
This launch marks SpaceX’s third for Project Kuiper and the sixth focused on establishing the network. Eventually, the constellation will boast about 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Currently, there are 129 satellites in place, with more to follow from over 70 future launches. These will use various rockets, including Falcon 9, Arianespace’s Ariane 6, Blue Origin’s New Glenn, and United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur.
Deployment and Satellite Operations
If everything proceeds as planned, the 24 Kuiper satellites will be released by Falcon 9’s upper stage approximately 289 miles (465 kilometers) above Earth. Deployment is expected to take 7.5 minutes, starting 56.5 minutes after lift-off. After deployment, the satellites will undergo health checks before ascending to their operational altitude of 392 miles (630 kilometers).
- Launch Date: October 13
- Location: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
- Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9
- Deployment Altitude: 289 miles (465 km)
- Operational Altitude: 392 miles (630 km)
Reusable Technology and Historic Milestones
The Falcon 9 first stage is expected to land on the SpaceX droneship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean roughly eight minutes post-liftoff. This booster previously launched on August 11, also for Project Kuiper, marking SpaceX’s 100th mission of the year.
Competition in Low Earth Orbit
Project Kuiper is not the only LEO broadband megaconstellation in development. SpaceX’s Starlink already operates over 8,500 satellites, with more than 90 missions undertaken this year alone. Meanwhile, China is advancing its own projects, Guowang and Qianfan, each intended to deploy around 13,000 satellites.
