United Launch Alliance (ULA) has deployed another batch of satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper. The mission, designated KA-03, marked Amazon’s third launch aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket and its fifth overall, adding 27 more satellites to the constellation and bringing the total number of Kuiper spacecraft in orbit to 129.
The Atlas V rocket released the satellites into orbit at an altitude of 289 miles (465 km) above Earth. From there, Kuiper’s operations team in Redmond, Washington, assumed control to conduct health checks before maneuvering the satellites to their final orbit of 392 miles (630 km), where they will be fully integrated into the growing broadband constellation.
Amazon confirmed the mission’s success following deployment. The launch represents a key milestone in building the 3,232-satellite system designed to deliver global broadband connectivity. Under US Federal Communications Commission rules, Amazon must deploy half of its constellation by July 2026 to retain spectrum rights.
ULA noted that only five Kuiper missions remain on its Atlas V rocket, with the remainder of Amazon’s launch campaign shifting to ULA’s next-generation Vulcan rocket, which will handle 38 Kuiper launches. ULA’s next mission is scheduled to carry the ViaSat-3 satellite.
The expansion comes as Kuiper continues to build commercial momentum. Earlier this month, the project secured its first in-flight connectivity deal when JetBlue announced plans to equip part of its fleet with Kuiper technology beginning in 2027.
With this launch, Project Kuiper takes another significant step toward becoming a global player in satellite-based broadband, strengthening Amazon’s bid to compete in the fast-evolving low-Earth orbit communications sector.
Add Comment