On Monday, Amazon launched its first satellites, a part of a Kuiper constellation that will eventually consist of about 3,200 aircraft, with the goal of providing ultra-high-speed satellite internet and competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink network. 

The first 27 Project Kuiper satellites have been launched into orbit by an Atlas V rocket belonging to the United Launch Alliance (ULA) group, which includes Boeing and LockheedMartin.  

Amazon Project Kuiper 

The satellites form the foundation of Project Kuiper, an infrastructure that is expected to be of great commercial, technological and geopolitical importance. Ultimately, more than 3,200 satellites are planned to be deployed into low Earth orbit (200 to 2,000 kilometers above the Earth). 

 As reported on the project’s social media, contact has already been made with all 27 Kuiper satellites in orbit, and initial deployment and activation sequences are proceeding as planned. 

Satellites that communicate with Earth via small mobile antennas make it possible to cover areas where it is difficult to access the Internet with traditional terrestrial communications solutions. 

Amazon has invested more than $10 billion in the project. The plan is to use the satellite network to provide broadband Internet access around the globe.