CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — It is one for the record books: A rare double launch day for the Space Coast as the United Launch Alliance is going to send up nearly 30 of Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites on Thursday morning.
3,2,1…liftoff! ULA’s Atlas V rocket powers off the launch pad carrying the next Amazon satellites for the Project Kuiper broadband constellation and the future of global connectivity!https://t.co/aAPPJAhIns pic.twitter.com/C2JagAwNCi
— ULA (@ulalaunch) September 25, 2025
ULA sent up its Atlas V 551 rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 8:09 a.m. ET, stated the Colorado-based company.
The 29-minute launch window opened at 8:09 a.m. ET, which fell near the tail end of SpaceX’s launch window. It was a rare double launch day for the Space Coast.
The launch forecast was favorable.
“The forecast from the U.S. Space Force’s Space Launch Delta 45 weather squadron for Thursday morning’s launch of Atlas V indicates a 95 percent chance of acceptable conditions,” stated ULA.
The Atlas V 551 rocket’s first-stage booster does not land on a droneship or landing zone, which is what the more familiar SpaceX rocket — the Falcon 9 — does. Instead, it will separate and fall into the Atlantic Ocean, where it will be picked up.
About the mission
The Atlas V rocket sent up 27 of Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites.
Like the SpaceX-company Starlink and its satellites that orbit Earth, Amazon’s Project Kuiper will have its own low-Earth orbital satellite network.
The Kuiper satellites will provide internet service to customers around the world.
Before this launch, there are 102 Kuiper satellites in orbit, with Amazon planning more than 3,200 once all is said and done.
Anthony Leone
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