After years of promising “we’re totally coming, just wait for it!”, Amazon finally launched the first 27 satellites of Project Kuiper into orbit. It only took them a few years of awkward silence and a few launch delays, but hey, better late than never, right? Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Starlink has already sent over 8,000 satellites up there, built an empire of 5 million users, and probably started reserving real estate on Mars, but sure, Amazon, welcome to the party.
The Kuiper launch, riding atop a rented United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket (because Amazon doesn’t have its own rockets yet), officially marks Jeff Bezos’s entrance into the satellite broadband race he’s been daydreaming about since 2019. The idea? Beam internet everywhere, rural towns, jungle villages, your weird uncle’s cabin, basically anywhere Wi-Fi usually fears to tread.
Of course, there’s a catch. Amazon promised the FCC they’d launch half of their planned 3,236 satellites by mid-2026. Spoiler alert: missing the first deadline by over a year isn’t exactly “great project management.” Analysts are already placing bets on how quickly Amazon will come begging for an extension. Smart money says “soon.”
Still, hope springs eternal at Amazon HQ, where executives are banking on a mix of Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud dominance, e-commerce wizardry, and sheer stubbornness to somehow outfox SpaceX. And why not? Bezos himself says there’s “room for lots of winners.” (Translation: please don’t crush us, Elon.)
In terms of business strategy, Amazon has some sneaky-smart plays lined up:
Cloud Flex: Kuiper satellites will hook directly into AWS, meaning Amazon could sell you internet and all your cloud services in a nice, slightly predatory package.
Emerging Market Gold Rush: Partnerships in South America will try to grab about 200 million internet-less people, because if there’s one thing Amazon loves, it’s a market that hasn’t been monetized yet, and they already own the name.
Mass Production Mayhem: A shiny Kirkland factory now spits out up to five satellites a day, which is either really impressive or a terrifying sign that Amazon is treating space like another warehouse fulfillment center.
Oh, and those Kuiper user terminals? Amazon bragged they’re about the size of a vinyl record, and will cost under $400. Great news for anyone who still remembers what a vinyl record is! Expect Amazon to bundle them with your next Echo Dot or Kindle whether you want it or not.
Sure, Amazon is late to the game, moving slower, and facing a literal sky full of Starlink satellites already working. But don’t count them out yet. If there’s one thing Amazon knows, it’s how to bulldoze its way into a market by sheer force of logistics, cash, and unrelenting, spreadsheet-driven optimism.
After all, who wouldn’t want a little slice of orbit served two years cold?
