Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) is set to launch its first batch of satellites for Project Kuiper, its satellite broadband network designed to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink and provide high-speed, low-latency internet worldwide.
The launch, scheduled for April 9, will deploy 27 satellites aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The KA-01 mission will test Amazon’s first-generation satellite design, incorporating advancements over the prototype models launched in 2023, Amazon said in a project update on Wednesday.
The satellites feature enhanced phased array antennas, processors, solar arrays, propulsion systems, and optical inter-satellite links.
To address concerns from astronomers, Amazon has also applied a unique dielectric mirror film to reduce satellite visibility from Earth.
Amazon plans to deploy more than 3,200 satellites in total and has secured over 80 launches across multiple providers, including ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.
Following deployment, the KA-01 satellites will gradually ascend to their operational orbit at 392 miles (630 km) and undergo testing before the network becomes operational later this year.
“We’ve designed some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, and every launch is an opportunity to add more capacity and coverage to our network,” Project Kuiper vice president Rajeev Badyal said in the update.
“No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey, and we have all the pieces in place to learn and adapt as we prepare to launch again and again over the coming years.”