On Wednesday, July 16 at 2:30 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 launched the KF-01 mission of 24 smallsats to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Photos captured by Satnews.
Amazon now has delivered the third launch of its Project Kuiper broadband internet satellites. The analysts estimate the cost to Amazon is $150 million per launch this year, while satellite production costs are projected to total $1.1 billion by the fourth quarter.
The Federal Communications Commission requires Amazon to have at least 50 percent of its planned 3,236-satellite constellation in operation no later than July 30, 2026.
This was the first flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, and the 118th landing on this vessel and the 476th booster landing to date.
SpaceX to launch Amazon’s Project Kuiper-01 on Tuesday from the Cape
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, July 16 for a Falcon 9 launch of the KF–01 mission to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 27-minute window opens at 2:18 a.m. ET. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Thursday, July 17 with a 27-minute window that opens at 1:57 a.m. ET.
Project Kuiper is a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation that will provide fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities. Amazon plans the project to consist 3,236 satellites that will be projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km altitude.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
This will be the first flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission. After stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.