News

Amazon has announced that it will be deploying its Project Kuiper prototype satellites using an Atlas V rocket this fall. The decision comes in the midst of time constraints and developmental delays with United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, which was originally intended to launch the satellites.

According to an official statement on Amazon’s website, Project Kuiper plans to launch its prototype satellites on the Atlas V rocket, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) is working towards a launch date in the fall of 2023. More details will be shared as the mission approaches.

Amazon’s urgency in launching the satellites is due to the regulatory requirement imposed by its license with the Federal Communications Commission. The license stipulates that half of Project Kuiper must be launched by 2026, with the entire constellation of 3,236 satellites launched to low Earth orbit by 2029. A Reuters report suggests that the Atlas V mission could be launched on September 26.

The Vulcan Centaur rocket, which is designed to replace ULA’s Atlas IV and Delta V rockets, has faced setbacks during its development. Delays in the delivery of BE-4 engines by Blue Origin and a problem with the rocket’s upper stage caused a significant explosion earlier this year. When fully operational, the Vulcan Centaur rocket is expected to have a lift capacity of up to 27.2 metric tons to low Earth orbit and 6.5 metric tons to geosynchronous orbit.

Similar to SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to provide fast and affordable broadband internet access worldwide. The upcoming mission will involve testing the prototype satellites named Kuipersat-1 and Kuipersat-2 in space. If successful, ULA will facilitate a megaconstellation across 46 launches, using both Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur rockets. Amazon has invested 0 million into the construction of a satellite processing hub at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to support this project.

This is the second time that Amazon has had to switch rocket platforms for Project Kuiper. Initially, they had planned to deploy the prototypes using ABL Space Systems’ RS1 rocket, but due to developmental issues and a failed maiden launch, they turned to ULA. ULA CEO Tory Bruno attributed the failure of the initial plan to the vehicle’s “super thin, high-performance steel skin.”

In addition to Amazon’s Project Kuiper, ULA is also tasked with launching the Peregrine lunar lander for Astrobotic and 35 missions for the U.S. Space Force in the future.

The post Amazon Chooses Atlas V Rocket for Project Kuiper Prototype Satellites appeared first on ISP Today.