SpaceX Sets New Launch Attempt for Amazon’s Kuiper Satellites

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL — SpaceX is readying its Falcon 9 rocket for another attempt to launch 24 of Amazon’s Kuiper satellites on Monday evening, October 13, after several weather-related delays. The mission, known as Kuiper Falcon 03, will liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:58 p.m. EDT (0158 UTC).

The launch date was pushed back several times due to unfavorable weather, but the 45th Weather Squadron now projects a 95% chance of favorable conditions during the launch window. However, they still caution about moderate risks in the booster recovery area due to elevated winds and sea conditions, which might affect recovery operations.

“Winds will veer from northwest to north, leading to mostly clear skies for launch,” the squadron reported. SpaceX will use booster B1091 for this launch; it’s the second flight for this particular booster, which previously supported the KF-02 mission.

If all goes well, B1091 will perform an autonomous landing on the drone ship named ‘Just Read the Instructions’ approximately eight minutes after launch. This landing would mark the 138th successful landing on this ship and the 517th booster recovery overall for SpaceX.

The deployment of the Kuiper satellites is set to begin 56 minutes after liftoff and is expected to take a total of eight minutes. Once deployed, this will increase the Kuiper satellite constellation to 153 satellites in low Earth orbit, aiding in Amazon’s ambition to establish a global internet network.

Prior to this mission, there were already 129 Kuiper satellites operating in orbit, with Amazon planning to expand its constellation to over 3,200 satellites.

In related news, SpaceX is also preparing for other launches, including a recent successful mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California that sent 51 small satellites into orbit.