SpaceX Launches 24 Amazon Kuiper Satellites into Orbit, Marking Third Mission of Project Kuiper.
Science and Technology
On 16th July 2025, Elon Musk-led SpaceX successfully launched 24 broadband internet satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, marking the third operational deployment of the constellation. The launch was conducted using the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA.
- This was the third operational launch under Amazon's Project Kuiper, a satellite-based broadband initiative targeting global internet coverage via a planned network of 3,200+ low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. With this launch, the total number of deployed Kuiper satellites has reached 78.
- The launch was part of the KF-01 (Kuiper Falcon 1) mission and took place aboard the Falcon 9 launch vehicle, known for its reusable first-stage booster. The mission originated from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, a key US launch facility in Florida.
- The event coincided with the 56th anniversary of NASA's historic Apollo 11 mission, which took humanity to the Moon for the first time on July 16, 1969. The symbolic timing reinforces the continued legacy of space exploration through modern commercial ventures.
Main Point :- (i) After liftoff, all 24 satellites were successfully deployed into a 465-kilometer-high orbit. These satellites will gradually be elevated to an operational altitude of 630 kilometers, enabling optimal broadband coverage capabilities.
(ii) Amazon’s mission control for Project Kuiper is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA. From this facility, engineers oversee the tracking, telemetry, and command operations of the deployed satellites in real time.
(iii) SpaceX’s satellite division, Starlink, currently operates around 8,000 LEO satellites and serves millions globally. In contrast, Amazon is still in the early deployment phase but plans to launch its full constellation and begin services by late 2025.
About Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)
CEO : Elon Reeve Musk
Headquarters : Texas, United States of America (USA)
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