Amazon has delayed the highly anticipated launch of its first batch of Kuiper internet satellites, citing poor weather conditions at the Cape Canaveral launch site.
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket carrying 27 Kuiper satellites was scheduled to lift off on Wednesday night. However, ULA halted the countdown as persistent cumulus clouds and high winds rendered conditions unsafe for launch, according to the company’s livestream.
“Weather is observed and forecast NO GO for liftoff within the remaining launch window at Cape Canaveral this evening,” ULA stated. A new launch date will be announced soon.
The Kuiper project, first announced by Amazon six years ago, aims to build a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit—within 1,200 miles of Earth’s surface. The goal is to deliver fast, low-latency internet access to consumers, businesses, and governments, using compact square-shaped terminals. Commercial service is slated to begin later this year.
Amazon’s Kuiper system is a direct competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink, which has quickly become the leader in the space-based internet sector with approximately 8,000 satellites already deployed. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has significantly expanded Starlink’s presence, including within federal government initiatives.
Amazon is working under a deadline set by the Federal Communications Commission, which mandates that half of the planned Kuiper constellation—totaling 1,618 satellites—must be operational by July 2026.
Following its first launch, Amazon plans to accelerate satellite production and deployment. Preparations for the next mission are already underway, with another batch of satellites expected to launch aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket.
