Amazon has signed a contract with SpaceX for three Falcon 9 launches to support deployment plans for Project Kuiper, Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network.
Project Kuiper has contracted three Falcon 9 launches, and these missions are targeted to lift off beginning in mid-2025.
Discussion thread for the launch of Project Kuiper mission KF-02, the 2nd of 3 Falcon 9 launches on contract to launch for Kuiper, with 24 satellites on board.Launch NET Q3 2025, from CCSFS SLC-40 or KSC LC-39A, aboard booster B10??-?. The first stage will land on either A Shortfall of Gravitas or Just Read the Instructions.Amazon Project Kuiper Broadband Constellationhttps://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-spacex-launch]Amazon announced the 3 launch deal with SpaceX on December 1, 2023.QuoteAmazon has signed a contract with SpaceX for three Falcon 9 launches to support deployment plans for Project Kuiper, Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network.QuoteProject Kuiper has contracted three Falcon 9 launches, and these missions are targeted to lift off beginning in mid-2025.The 1st of the 3 missions, KF-01, launched on July 16, 2025.
Upcoming launches include more Starlink and Kuiper internet satellite batches.
Inside Project Kuiper's Florida hub: Preparing satellites for Amazon's space networkJuly 24, 2025[...]The facility was operational in time to support our first mission in April and subsequent launches with SpaceX and ULA, and we’ve already completed integration for our next launch on the manifest.[...]
It looks like there will be no ULA vehicles available until October, and so I expect KF-03 to follow KF-02, possibly in early September.
Primary Launch Day 07 Aug 1340Z-1513ZBackup Launch Day 08 Aug 1320Z-1448ZBackup Launch Day 09 Aug 1300Z-1428ZBackup Launch Day 10 Aug 1235Z-1408ZBackup Launch Day 11 Aug 1215Z-1343ZBackup Launch Day 12 Aug 1155Z-1323ZBackup Launch Day 13 Aug 1130Z-1303Z
Expecting B1091-1 for this mission
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, August 7 for a Falcon 9 launch of the KF-02 mission to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 27-minute window opens at 10:01 a.m. ET. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Friday, August 8 with a 27-minute window that opens at 9:40 a.m. ET.A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.This will be the first flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission. After stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Latest mission updatesJuly 30: Next Kuiper mission set for August 7Our next mission, KF-02, is scheduled for no earlier than Thursday, August 7, with a 27-minute launch window opening at 10:01 a.m. EDT. This will be our second Kuiper launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It will send another 24 Kuiper satellites into orbit, bringing the total number of Kuiper spacecraft deployed to date to 102 satellites.SpaceX will deploy the satellites at an altitude of 289 miles (465 kilometers) above Earth, at which point the Project Kuiper team will take over command of the mission. After we’ve made contact with the satellites and completed activation and health checks, we will gradually raise the satellites to their assigned altitude of 392 miles (630 km).For more information on the mission, visit SpaceX.com/launches/kf-02.
Is Amazon insisting on new boosters or something? Are they paying extra for this privilege? Seems like more than coincidence that they'd fly on a new booster two times in a row.
Quote from: sstli2 on 07/30/2025 09:29 pmIs Amazon insisting on new boosters or something? Are they paying extra for this privilege? Seems like more than coincidence that they'd fly on a new booster two times in a row.At this point new boosters are higher risk. Imagine that.That statement used to draw so much scorn.The correlation is odd though, I agree. With some 10 flights per booster on average, that's 1:1000, better than 3 sigma... Something's afoot for sure.
KF-03 will also use a new booster, though this doesn't seem to be Amazon requested.
Quote from: meekGee on 07/31/2025 02:01 pmQuote from: sstli2 on 07/30/2025 09:29 pmIs Amazon insisting on new boosters or something? Are they paying extra for this privilege? Seems like more than coincidence that they'd fly on a new booster two times in a row.At this point new boosters are higher risk. Imagine that.That statement used to draw so much scorn.The correlation is odd though, I agree. With some 10 flights per booster on average, that's 1:1000, better than 3 sigma... Something's afoot for sure.Quote from: avialuh on 07/30/2025 10:28 pmKF-03 will also use a new booster, though this doesn't seem to be Amazon requested.Or, it could simply be technological trailing-edge thinking from the time of contract (1 December 2023); Amazon insisting upon three new first stages for three launches contracted?Cross-country buses still exist. "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." ?
Quote from: zubenelgenubi on 07/31/2025 08:48 pmQuote from: meekGee on 07/31/2025 02:01 pmQuote from: sstli2 on 07/30/2025 09:29 pmIs Amazon insisting on new boosters or something? Are they paying extra for this privilege? Seems like more than coincidence that they'd fly on a new booster two times in a row.At this point new boosters are higher risk. Imagine that.That statement used to draw so much scorn.The correlation is odd though, I agree. With some 10 flights per booster on average, that's 1:1000, better than 3 sigma... Something's afoot for sure.Quote from: avialuh on 07/30/2025 10:28 pmKF-03 will also use a new booster, though this doesn't seem to be Amazon requested.Or, it could simply be technological trailing-edge thinking from the time of contract (1 December 2023); Amazon insisting upon three new first stages for three launches contracted?Cross-country buses still exist. "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." ?Oh I didn't mean that SpaceX is intentionally giving Kuiper low reliability boosters, just that 3-out-of-3 is statistically significant, whatever the reason.
B1091 is in fact a Falcon Heavy center core that will fly in a single stick configuration a handful of times before being reconfigured and flying as a Falcon Heavy. This way we get some use out of it while the Heavy customer finishes up the payload while also reducing risk as it will be flight proven.
Have we confirmed that this mission will use B1091? According to previous tweets, B1091 will be a special booster.https://x.com/edwards345/status/1920258572254130206?t=3agy5b-am8zKLrF_Co8l2A&s=19
