The first 27 production satellites of Amazon’s Project Kuiper will now launch on April 28 due to weather conditions that forced the cancellation of the initial April 9 launch. United Launch Alliance (ULA) will execute the launch from Cape Canaveral Florida but the mission will start no earlier than 7:00 p.m. EDT after Amazon and ULA confirm the details.
The Cape Canaveral range scheduling difficulties cause the delay because ULA needs to work with the U.S. Space Force to find available launch times. The Eastern Range spans 15 million square miles which demands extensive “de-confliction” procedures for its multiple users according to Brigadier General Kristin Panzenhagen. Tim Farrar who analyzes the industry pointed out that SpaceX controls most of Florida’s launch schedule because of its Space Force contracts which might delay other rocket launches including Kuiper.
The delay threatens Amazon’s ability to fulfill FCC requirements because the company needs to deploy half of its 3,200 Kuiper satellites by July 2026 to keep its operating license. Project Kuiper experienced its first launch delay when it moved from its initial year-long schedule to Q4 before ULA delayed it to support Space Force space missions.
Amazon has obtained more than 80 launch agreements from ULA and Arianespace and Blue Origin and some of these agreements use advanced spacecraft technology. The Kuiper launch program will use SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets for only a few of its missions despite the rocket’s successful deployment of thousands of Starlink satellites. Amazon must execute its launch schedule before time runs out because delaying will force the company to request an FCC extension.
