On Friday, Amazon revealed that it has entered into an agreement with SpaceX partnership for the delivery of batches of its Project Kuiper satellites to low Earth orbit in 2025. As Amazon ventures into the satellite internet space, SpaceX emerges as its primary competitor with an operational constellation of over 4,000 Starlink satellites. SpaceX is also a rival to Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, which is developing its own rockets. In terms of launches, SpaceX stands out for its rapid pace and the reliability of its Falcon 9 rocket.
According to a blog post by Amazon, the contract with SpaceX Partnership entails three Falcon 9 launches scheduled for mid-2025. Amazon plans to initiate customer pilots for its Project Kuiper satellite internet service by the end of the following year and will commence deploying the supporting satellite fleet. The company had launched its first two prototype satellites in October. While Amazon has secured deals for upcoming launches with United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, Arianespace’s Ariane 6, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn, all of these projects have faced development delays, and the timing of their inaugural flights remains uncertain.
In the announcement, Amazon emphasized that the additional launches with SpaceX provide increased capacity to meet its deployment schedule. The Project Kuiper constellation aims to consist of 3,236 satellites, with at least half of them operational by the summer of 2026 to comply with the company’s FCC license.
