Amazon Kuiper Selects SpaceX to Launch Its Next Batch of Satellites—Still No Blue Origin?

Amazon is planning to launch more Kuiper satellites, and it has now selected SpaceX to fly their payload towards the low-Earth orbit (LEO) despite being one of their biggest rivals in the market with the Starlink service.

Project Kuiper has a timeline to follow, and it needs to bring more satellites to grow its network and establish their service to the market.

Previously, Amazon already launched two Project Kuiper payloads to orbit that were fulfilled by United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Atlas V rocket.

Amazon Kuiper Selects Rival SpaceX for Mission

Amazon announced that the next schedule of its Project Kuiper mission is already set for July 16, and the massive change in this venture is their selection of SpaceX to fulfill the launch for them. The company revealed that they will load their Kuiper satellites to their rival, using the Falcon 9 reusable rocket to deliver the payload to orbit.

The e-commerce giant revealed that a total of 24 Kuiper satellites would be launched under this latest mission under the name "KF-01."This also marks the first time it launches on a SpaceX rocket.

The mission would be launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at Launch Complex 40, with the launch window opening at 2:18 a.m. EDT.

SpaceX will command the mission until it reaches an altitude of 289 miles (465 kilometers) from the ground, and then the Project Kuiper team will take command of the mission until it reaches its assigned altitude of 630 km.

SpaceX to Bring Next Batch of Kuiper Satellites

SpaceX's Falcon 9 would fulfill the heavy lifting that would propel the Kuiper satellite payload from the ground until it reaches the said altitude before Amazon's team takes over from their Redmond, Washington mission center.

The mission pushes through with SpaceX fulfilling the mission for Amazon, and this was despite shareholders suing the e-commerce giant for choosing Musk's space company for launches, according to TechCrunch. Amazon and SpaceX previously agreed on a three-launch deal back in December 2023.

The other selected launch providers by Amazon include ULA, Arianespace, and Blue Origin. It was reported that ULA is the only one with an operational license, with Amazon already using its rocket twice for the Kuiper missions.

Blue Origin Is Not Yet Available?

Amazon has plans for Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to be their future launch provider for Kuiper satellite launches, choosing the reusable rocket New Glenn to fulfill the missions for them. However, the New Glenn rocket is still in its testing phase and has only launched the rocket in one mission, demonstrating the capabilities of its space race contender.

In its first and only run to date, Blue Origin lost the booster that propelled the New Glenn rocket from the ground, and it is not yet available for commercial operations, including launching Kuiper satellites to orbit.

The New Glenn rocket will remain under testing, with its next flight already slated for August 15.