4 minute read•Updated 7:28 PM EDT, Wed April 2, 2025
Project Kuiper, Amazon’s ambitious satellite internet initiative, is preparing to take a major leap forward with the launch of its first full batch of operational satellites. The upcoming mission, designated “KA-01” (Kuiper Atlas 1), is scheduled to lift off no earlier than 12 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 9, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.
This landmark flight will carry 27 next-generation Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), deploying them at an altitude of 280 miles (450 kilometers).
KA-01 marks the transition from prototyping to full-scale deployment for Project Kuiper, which aims to deliver fast, reliable, and low-latency broadband internet to underserved and remote communities around the globe.
A New Era for Kuiper
“This is just the start of our journey...We’ve designed some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, and every launch is an opportunity to add more capacity and coverage to our network.” - Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Technology for Project Kuiper.
The launch comes six months after the successful Protoflight mission in October 2023, during which Kuiper tested two prototype satellites. Since then, Amazon engineers have made significant upgrades to every subsystem on board, including:
Phased array antennas
Custom silicon and onboard processors
Advanced solar power systems
Electric propulsion units
Optical inter-satellite links (OISLs) for cross-satellite communication
Additionally, the satellites are coated with a dielectric mirror film that scatters reflected sunlight, reducing their visibility from the ground—a move made in consultation with astronomers concerned about light pollution from satellite constellations.
ULA’s Most Powerful Atlas V Configuration
To carry Kuiper’s heaviest-ever payload, ULA will launch the Atlas V in its most powerful configuration, outfitted with:
Five solid rocket boosters
A main stage booster powered by a Russian-made RD-180 engine
A massive 77-foot (23.5 meters) tall payload fairing, which houses the 27 satellites
ULA has named this launch the “Kuiper 1” mission. Over the next several years, Kuiper and ULA plan seven additional Atlas V launches, followed by 38 missions using ULA’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket.
Project Kuiper has also secured more than 30 additional launches from other providers, including Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX—bringing the total to over 80 launches to deploy the full 3,200+ satellite constellation.
From Launch to Connectivity
Following the initial deployment of the satellites, ULA will oversee the mission from its Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center in Florida. Once the satellites have safely separated, control will transfer to Project Kuiper’s 24/7 mission operations center in Redmond, Washington.
Each satellite will then activate its systems and use electric propulsion to slowly raise its orbit to its final operating altitude of 392 miles (630 kilometers). At full speed, they will orbit Earth at over 17,000 miles per hour (27,359 km/h), completing one lap around the planet every 90 minutes.
The mission’s initial goal is to ensure each satellite can independently maneuver and maintain communications with ground teams. But the long-term objective is more ambitious: achieving end-to-end network connectivity by routing internet data from ground stations to satellites and back down to customers' terminal antennas—establishing the backbone of a global broadband service.
While KA-01 represents a significant milestone, it’s only the beginning. Project Kuiper has already begun processing satellites for its next mission, KA-02, which will also launch on a ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral.
As deployment continues, the company plans to rapidly scale up satellite production and launch cadence to meet its goal of delivering service to customers later this year.
Launch at a Glance:
Mission Name: KA-01 (Kuiper Atlas 1)
Rocket: ULA Atlas V (most powerful configuration with 5 SRBs)
Launch Provider: United Launch Alliance
Launch Window: 12 pm - 3pm EDT, Wednesday, April 9
Location: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Payload: 27 advanced Kuiper internet satellites
Altitude: Deployment at 280 miles (450 km); final orbit at 392 miles (630 km)
