Amazon Launches 27 Kuiper Satellites to Challenge Starlink

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Amazon's Project Kuiper blasted its first 27 satellites into orbit on April 28, challenging SpaceX's Starlink dominance in the satellite internet space race.

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A ULA Atlas V rocket carried the Kuiper satellites from Cape Canaveral at 7:01 PM Eastern, marking the first step in Amazon's ambitious 3,236-satellite plan.

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Amazon must deploy half its constellation by July 2026 to meet FCC requirements, booking over 80 launches with providers including rival SpaceX.

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Kuiper satellites feature phased array antennas, laser links between satellites, and special coatings to reduce visibility to astronomers on Earth.

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Amazon will offer three terminal options: a compact $400 model reaching 100 Mbps, a standard residential unit hitting 400 Mbps, and an enterprise version at 1 Gbps.

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The $10-17 billion Kuiper project faces an uphill battle against Starlink's 7,000+ satellites already serving 4.6 million customers worldwide.

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Amazon plans to begin commercial service later in 2025, positioning Kuiper as part of its broader business ecosystem alongside AWS.

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Kuiper is going to have a long way to go to catch up," warned analyst Craig Moffett, questioning if the late market entry can ever become an attractive investment.

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