Amazon’s second batch of internet satellites has taken flight, with a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launching 27 spacecraft for the company’s Project Kuiper constellation towards low Earth orbit (LEO). The launch, which was originally scheduled for June 16, was delayed by an engine issue.
This is not Amazon’s first batch of Kuiper satellites. An Atlas V launched 29 of them into space in April, along with two prototype satellites. The company plans to use a combination of rocket launches from ULA and SpaceX, as well as Blue Origin and Arianespace, to deploy its constellation of over 3,200 satellites.
The Project Kuiper constellation will provide internet service to customers later this year, competing with SpaceX’s Starlink network. Starlink already has more than 7,600 operational satellites in LEO and is the largest satellite constellation ever assembled.
Other broadband projects are also underway in LEO, including China’s Guowang and Qianfan megaconstellations, which will feature over 10,000 satellites each if all goes according to plan.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/atlas-v-rocket-launches-2nd-batch-of-satellites-for-amazons-project-kuiper-megaconstellation-video