Elon Musk-owned SpaceX has aided rival Amazon in the fierce satcom race by successfully launching the next batch of Kuiper internet satellites into orbit on Wednesday, July 16.
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, United States, at approximately 2:18 am ET (11:48 am India time) with 24 of Amazon’s Kuiper satellites on-board the SpaceX rocket. The launch was part of the mission dubbed KF-01.
“Successful deployment of all KF-01 satellites confirmed,” wrote SpaceX in a post on X. With the recent launch, Amazon Kuiper now has a total of 78 low Earth constellation (LEO) satellites in orbit. Its plans involve placing more than 3,200 internet satellites in low Earth orbit to form a first-generation constellation network and provide satellite-based internet.
Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, currently has a network comprising close to 8,000 satellites.
Though the two firms are primarily competitors in the satellite internet market, the SpaceX collaboration signals Kuiper’s rush to deploy half of its initial constellation because the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has required the company to have at least 1,600 satellites in low Earth orbit by the end of July 2026.
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/3lB7Zz4S2b
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 16, 2025
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In 2023, Amazon faced a lawsuit from shareholders for not considering SpaceX as a potential contractor to help dole out its first batch of internet satellites using Falcon 9, which is said to be the company’s most reliable heavy-lift launch vehicle.
Two months later, the Jeff Bezos-founded company inked a three-year deal with SpaceX for satellite launches. Kuiper also has similar arrangements in place with other launch providers such as United Launch Alliance (ULA), Arianespace, and Blue Origin (Bezos’ other company).
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While Blue Origin has built a launch vehicle called Glenn, it has only flown once so far and the company reportedly failed to recover the booster. The second launch of Blue Origin’s rocket is scheduled to take place on August 15.
Deployment of 26 @Starlink satellites confirmed pic.twitter.com/I68Pa2PTIh
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 16, 2025
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Meanwhile, SpaceX on Tuesday, July 15, launched 26 of its own Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. The lift-off was from its base in southern California, US. With around 8,000 active Starlink satellites in orbit already, SpaceX has a mega-constellation for offering satellite-based internet.
The company plans to deploy an additional 30,000 spacecraft, but it has received regulatory approval to launch only 12,000 units at present.
