ULA Launches 27 More Project Kuiper Satellites into Orbit

CAP CANAVERAL, Florida — An Atlas 5 551 rocket launched successfully from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on September 25, 2025, carrying 27 Project Kuiper satellites from Amazon. This mission marks the fifth launch for the growing low Earth orbit constellation.

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket lifted off at 8:09 a.m. EDT (1209 UTC) and reached an initial altitude of 280 miles (450 kilometers) above Earth. Shortly after liftoff, the rocket jettisoned its five solid rocket boosters manufactured by Northrop Grumman, continuing its ascent powered by the RD-180 engine.

About 20 minutes post-launch, the satellites began their separation sequence, finishing within 15 minutes. Following deployment, the satellites will be monitored for health checks by the Project Kuiper team at their mission operations center in Redmond, Washington. The satellites are expected to be raised to their operational orbit at 392 miles (630 kilometers).

This launch brings Amazon’s total number of deployed Kuiper satellites to 129. Earlier this month, the company announced a partnership with Jet Blue for future internet service starting in 2027.

Ricky Freeman, president of Project Kuiper Government Solutions, shared during World Space Business Week that Amazon anticipates launching over 200 satellites by the end of 2025. ULA has plans for more launches, including five more Atlas 5 missions and a launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Amazon’s ultimate goal is to establish a network of 3,200 satellites to provide broadband internet globally. According to Freeman, services are expected to launch in Canada, France, Germany, the UK, and the US by early 2026, with plans to expand to 57 countries in 2027 and close to 100 countries by the end of 2028.