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Amazon.com Inc plans to launch its first pair of prototype internet satellites at the end of next month, but on a different rocket than originally planned. The company will launch the satellites for its Kuiper program, which aims to offer global internet coverage from space, aboard a dedicated Atlas V rocket from the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a Boeing-Lockheed joint venture.

The initial launch date is set for September 26. Amazon had originally intended to launch the satellites aboard ULA’s new Vulcan rocket, but delays with Vulcan’s development prompted the switch. This decision is crucial as Amazon faces a regulatory deadline in 2026 to deploy half of the 3,200 satellites planned for its Kuiper internet network.

Amazon’s Kuiper program is aimed at complementing its web services and competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink network. With a billion investment and 83 planned launches in 2022, Amazon has secured the largest commercial launch procurement in history. Nine of these launches will utilize ULA’s Atlas V rocket, a reliable choice for previous NASA missions and U.S. national security undertakings.

Notably, ULA has stopped selling the Atlas V and plans to retire the rocket after completing 19 remaining missions. The company has already imported Russian-made RD-180 engines for those remaining launches and has no intention of ordering more.

The switch to the Atlas V rocket from ULA offers a solution to Amazon’s need for a reliable and timely launch for its satellites. As the company races to complete its ambitious project, the success of the September launch will set the tone for the future deployment of its satellite internet network.

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