The U.L.A. Atlas V begins a delivery for Amazon. Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report Space
Cape Canaveral S.F.S., FL. - This morning September 25, 2025, United Launch Alliance (U.L.A.) launched the next installment of Amazon Kuiper communications satellites into a low Earth orbit. The engines lit at 8:09 AM EDT sending the massive Atlas V 551 towards orbit with the Kuiper 3 Mission. The launch took place from LC-41 on Florida’s Space Coast.
Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report SpaceProject Kuiper, which is a subsidiary of Amazon are internet satellites mostly manufactured in Kirkland, Washington with specialized parts being made in Redmond, WA. Final integration and preparation is handled by Amazon at a special processing facility here at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report SpaceThese satellites will be similar to the offerings of SpaceX Starlink satellites, in that the Kuiper satellites will offer fast internet services to areas that are underserved with current lack of connectivity. Additionally, Amazon will be able to expand their web services called Amazon Web Services (A.W.S.). In all, when the project is complete there the planned number of Kuiper satellites will number around 3,000.
Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report SpaceIn a statement from U.L.A.: “We are proud to collaborate with Amazon and advance their mission to provide fast, reliable internet to communities around the world,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. “Our mission is to launch critical payloads for our customers and serve as the catalyst to help Amazon build this global broadband constellation aligning us with one of our core missions of connecting the world.”
Image Credit: Graham L Smith - We Report SpaceULA currently has only five more Atlas V launches left for hoisting Kuiper satellites before the complete transition to the Vulcan rocket which will be the only lift vehicle in the U.L.A. fleet having retired out the Delta and Atlas family of rockets.
While U.L.A. lofted this particular group of satellites, SpaceX has a series of launches scheduled for the Kuiper constellation; Blue Origin and their New Glen rocket are also in the mix for future Kuiper launches as well as Ariane Space.
Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report SpaceInitially, the Kuiper satellites will end up in orbit at about 390 miles above the Earth, with service to people when about 580 satellites have been deployed and are fully operational.
Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report SpaceArticle: Graham Smith
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