United Launch Alliance Launches Protoflight: Amazon Project Kuiper

Cape Canaveral S.F.S. Fl. – On the afternoon of October 6, 2023 a United Launch Alliance (U.L.A.) Atlas V 501 rocket roared to life from Launch Complex 41 lifting the Protoflight Amazon Kuiper Mission. This mission consisted of two satellites to test high speed internet services in Low-Earth orbit for underserved areas for internet access. Liftoff came at 2:06 PM EDT and the Atlas V soared though the beautiful blue Florida sky as it headed to orbit. This is the first flight in a combined effort between U.L.A. and Amazon. U.L.A. is slated to launch a major portion of this satellite constellation.

In statement from U.L.A.: “This initial launch is the first step in support of deployment of Amazon’s initiative to provide fast, affordable broadband service to underserved and underserved communities around the world,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. “We have worked diligently in partnership with the Project Kuiper team to launch this important mission that will help connect the world. We look forward to continuing and building on the partnership for future missions.”

In a statement from Robert Long, President and CEO for Space Florida:

“We want to congratulate our partner Amazon’s Project Kuiper on their Protoflight Mission aboard ULA’s Atlas V. Today’s successful launch is a major step toward Amazon fulfilling its mission of providing affordable internet access to people across the world. Amazon’s Project Kuiper expansion to our Launch and Landing Facility signals to the market that Space Florida's decades of capital investment has created the aerospace ecosystem in the state.

We have stepped into a new era in the space economy, revitalizing the infrastructure once used for government space operations and utilizing them for the next generation of space innovation, exploration, research, manufacturing and testing.

When companies like Amazon partner with us, we invest in the community and infrastructure and drive the new era of aerospace commerce.”

U.L.A. is transitioning to the new Vulcan rocket that is looking to makes its debut flight later this year. Image Credits: Michael Howard, Michael Seeley and Graham Smith