Amazon Kuiper Constellation Grows to Over 100 Satellites

SpaceX deployed Amazon’s fourth batch of Project Kuiper satellites for its broadband constellation. New birds have brought their total to 102 birds in low Earth orbit (LEO).

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Kuiper satellites lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the US state of Florida after four previous scrubs or delays in a row since 7 August. Amazon noted it deployed the 102 satellites in less than four months. Project Kuiper plans to compete against Starlink and other satellite communications services. In addition to Starlink, rivals include EchoStar, Eutelsat, direct-to-device specialists AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global.

The tech giant unveiled its Project Kuiper plan in 2019 and sent a pair of prototype satellites into orbit in 2023. It initially planned to launch commercial services by the end of 2024. It needs to meet a Federal Communications Commission deadline to launch half of its planned 3,236 birds by July 2026.