SpaceX announced on Friday that Amazon has purchased three launches for their Project Kuiper internet satellite initiative.
Amazon’s new launch provider marks a shift in strategy for the company, reportedly due to delays and lack of availability in other companies launch schedules.
Amazon finds itself running against the clock, as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has told Amazon that at least half of their planned 3,326 satellites for the project must be in orbit by July of 2026.
Amazon initially ordered 77 launches from United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, Arianespace, and ABL. However, delays with each company’s rockets have put Amazon in a tight spot. Blue Origin’s New Glenn was due to launch this month, but no launch estimate is in the books. ULA did manage to accomplish one successful launch for Amazon’s Project Kuiper last October.
Interestingly enough, the Kuiper project aims to compete against SpaceX’s Starlink internet service. The potential competition doesn’t deter SpaceX from gladly accepting Amazon’s launch business though.
At the World Satellite Business Week conference in September, SpaceX Vice President Tom Ochinero addressed concerns regarding SpaceX’s willingness to launch satellites for competitors of its Starlink satellite internet service. In response to queries, Ochinero emphasized SpaceX’s commitment as a launch provider, stating, “We’ve proven that, yeah, we will. We’re a launch company first, we’re here to provide launches.”
Ochinero highlighted that while Starlink is a significant internal client for SpaceX, the company has a track record of adjusting its own satellite launch schedules to accommodate the needs of competitors and other customers. This approach was evident in SpaceX’s recent agreement to launch 14 missions for Canadian firm Telesat, aimed at deploying its Lightspeed internet satellites into orbit. Additionally, SpaceX has a history of launching satellites for other companies in the Starlink communications market, including OneWeb, Viasat, and EchoStar.
FMN’s Mark Stone contributed to this story.
