Amazon Launches 29 Satellites for 2026 Broadband Debut as It Challenges Starlink
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jul 2
Amazon Launches 29 Satellites for 2026 Broadband Debut as It Challenges Starlink
3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jul 2
Summary
A ULA Atlas V lifted 29 Amazon satellites from Cape Canaveral at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, clearing the way for Amazon to start broadband service later this year.
That launch expands Amazon's low-Earth-orbit network enough to support the planned service rollout, part of its push into satellite internet against SpaceX's dominant Starlink system.
Amazon had already deployed 396 satellites, a level its executives said was sufficient for continuous service across initial latitudes, though the full constellation is planned to exceed 3,200 satellites.
The mission also marked Atlas V's final non-Starliner flight, underscoring how Amazon's Kuiper buildup is advancing as ULA shifts toward its newer Vulcan rocket.