Amazon Launches 29 Kuiper Satellites, Reaching 396 for Initial Service Later in 2026
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 20
Amazon Launches 29 Kuiper Satellites, Reaching 396 for Initial Service Later in 2026
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 20
Summary
Amazon’s July 2 launch added 29 Kuiper satellites, lifting the constellation to 396—enough for an initial customer rollout later this year once the new spacecraft reach operating positions.
The mission was Amazon’s 14th Kuiper launch and its last on ULA’s Atlas V, which carried 224 satellites across eight missions; future launches will shift to the larger Vulcan rocket to speed deployment.
That milestone still leaves Amazon well behind SpaceX’s Starlink, which has operated since 2019 and already sells service in more than 150 countries, territories and markets.
Amazon is broadening Kuiper beyond home broadband with airline deals at JetBlue and Delta and a direct-to-device plan tied to its proposed Globalstar acquisition, with phone connectivity targeted from 2028.
The push targets a satellite internet market Amazon sees expanding from $13.3 billion in 2026 to $35.7 billion by 2033, setting up a longer-term challenge to Starlink in rural, business and mobility connectivity.