CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Under a dusky Florida sky, the United Launch Alliance sent an Atlas 5 rocket roaring into the heavens on April 28, 2025, carrying the first batch of Amazon’s Kuiper satellites, a bold step toward blanketing the globe with high-speed internet. The launch, scrubbed weeks earlier by stormy weather, finally got its moment at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s pad 41, where the rocket’s fiery ascent cut through the evening haze.
This wasn’t just another satellite toss. These were the first production units for Project Kuiper, Amazon’s answer to SpaceX’s Starlink. The mission, dubbed Kuiper 1, marked a pivotal leap for the tech giant’s plan to deploy over 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit, aiming to deliver broadband to remote corners where cables don’t reach. The Atlas 5, a workhorse with a near-perfect track record, hauled the payload skyward, its Centaur upper stage nudging the satellites into their planned orbits.
Back on April 9, the mission hit a snag when clouds and wind grounded the rocket. A rescheduled attempt on April 16 didn’t materialize, leaving engineers and onlookers antsy. But on April 28, the weather cleared just enough, and the countdown hit zero. The rocket’s RD-180 engine bellowed, and the 194-foot beast climbed, shedding its first stage minutes later as the Centaur took over. By the time the satellites separated, they were on their way to join a constellation that Amazon hopes will rival the biggest players in space-based internet.
The Kuiper project isn’t just about tech. It’s a massive bet on connecting underserved communities, from rural farms to far-flung villages. Each satellite, built in-house by Amazon’s aerospace team, is designed to beam down reliable internet, competing in a crowded field where speed and coverage are everything. The company’s been tight-lipped on exact numbers, but filings with the Federal Communications Commission show plans for thousands of these units circling Earth by decade’s end.
ULA, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, leaned on decades of launch expertise to pull this off. The Atlas 5, nearing the end of its service life, delivered again, adding another notch to its belt before it’s phased out for newer rockets. For Amazon, the launch was a public flex of muscle, showing it’s not just a retailer but a space contender with serious hardware.
The satellites are now in low Earth orbit, undergoing initial tests to ensure they can talk to ground stations and deliver the promised bandwidth. Amazon’s team will spend weeks checking systems, tweaking orbits, and prepping for the next wave of launches. More Kuiper missions are already on the books, with ULA and other providers like Arianespace and Blue Origin slated to carry future batches.
At Cape Canaveral, the launch drew a small crowd of engineers, reporters, and space nerds, all craning their necks as the rocket vanished into the clouds. For them, it was another night of fire and physics, a reminder that humanity’s reach keeps stretching. For Amazon, it was day one of a long climb to remake the internet from 300 miles up.
The Atlas 5 launched at 7:01 p.m. EDT on April 28, 2025, from Space Launch Complex 41. The Kuiper 1 mission carried an undisclosed number of satellites. Amazon aims to deploy half its constellation by July 2026 to meet regulatory deadlines.