Amazon has signed a contract with SpaceX for three Falcon 9 launches to support deployment plans for Project Kuiper, Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network. Project Kuiper satellites were designed from the start to accommodate multiple launch providers and vehicles, allowing to reduce schedule risk and move faster in the mission to connect unserved and underserved communities around the world. Our earlier procurement of 77 heavy-lift rockets from Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) provides enough capacity to launch the majority of the satellite constellation, and the additional launches with SpaceX offer even more capacity to support the deployment schedule.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9, renowned for its reliability and reusability, is a two-stage launch vehicle designed for transporting payloads and people into Earth orbit. With over 270 successful launches to its credit, Falcon 9 stands as a reliable choice for Project Kuiper. The three Falcon 9 launches contracted by Project Kuiper are slated to commence in mid-2025.
Project Kuiper recently achieved a milestone with the launch of two prototype satellites, with subsequent tests validating the satellite design and network architecture. The initiative is now gearing up for full-scale satellite manufacturing, scheduled to commence in the first half of 2024. Early customer pilots are anticipated to launch in the second half of 2024 as sufficient satellites are deployed.
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