Amazon's first big batch of Project Kuiper broadband satellites will take flight today (April 28) after weeks of delay due to weather, and you can watch the action live.
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket is scheduled to launch 27 Project Kuiper satellites from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today during a two-hour window that opens at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT). You can watch the liftoff live here at Space.com courtesy of ULA or directly via the company. Coverage will start at 6:35 p.m. EDT (2235 GMT).
An attempted launch on April 9 was scrubbed due to weather concerns, and launch range availability pushed the flight back even further.
"We are back on the Range with the Mighty Atlas in its Bruiser configuration for Amazon’s KA01 mission," ULA CEO Tory Bruno wrote on social media today, using a nickname for the Atlas V rocket's launch configuration, which will use five solid rocket boosters to assist the liftoff. "Working no issues. Weather [percent go] is 75%."
Related: Atlas V rocket launches Amazon's 1st 2 internet satellites to orbit (video)
Project Kuiper is Amazon's planned broadband megaconstellation in low Earth orbit. The initial network will consist of about 3,200 satellites, Amazon representatives have said.
Amazon will assemble that big constellation over more than 80 launches, the majority of them performed by the Atlas V and its successor, ULA's new Vulcan Centaur. Amazon has also procured launches from Arianespace, Blue Origin and SpaceX.
Today's launch will be the first to send fully operational Kuiper craft skyward and the second of any type for the program: An Atlas V lofted two prototype Kuiper satellites in October 2023.
Editor's note: This story, originally posted on April 9 for ULA's first launch attempt, has been updated for the company's ne wApril 28 launch attempt.
