Author Topic: SpaceX F9 : Project Kuiper KF-03 : CCSFS SLC-40 : 13/14 October 2025 (01:58 UTC)  (Read 27335 times)

Offline AndrewM

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Discussion thread for the launch of Project Kuiper mission KF-03, the 3rd of 3 Falcon 9 launches on contract to launch for Kuiper, with 24 satellites on board.

Launch 14 October 2025, at 01:58:00 UTC (13 October 9:58 pm EDT), from CCSFS SLC-40, aboard booster B1091-2.  The first stage has landed on A Shortfall Of Gravitas.



Amazon Project Kuiper Broadband Constellation



https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/amazon-project-kuiper-spacex-launch]Amazon announced the 3 launch deal with SpaceX on December 1, 2023.

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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.

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Project 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.

The 2nd of the 3 missions, KF-02, launched on August 11, 2025.
« Last Edit: 10/18/2025 04:18 am by Galactic Penguin SST »

Offline avialuh

As seen from the 17-8 Mission Page, B1097-1 has been moved away from this launch and is instead launching from Vandenberg now. Adds onto the point that the new boosters were likely SpaceX choices if they can shift said decisions. Likely B1091-2 or B1096-2 for this mission now.
B1094

Offline AndrewM

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Project Kuiper KF-03 : Florida : NET Q3 2025
« Reply #2 on: 09/07/2025 05:46 pm »
KA-03 is the next Kuiper launch NET September 25. That likely pushes this launch into October.

Online DanClemmensen

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Project Kuiper KF-03 : Florida : NET Q3 2025
« Reply #3 on: 09/07/2025 05:53 pm »
KA-03 is the next Kuiper launch NET September 25. That likely pushes this launch into October.
Why? KA-03 is a ULA launch from SLC-41. KF-03 is a SpaceX launch from eitehr LC-39A or SLC-40. Is there a lack of Kuiper satellites?

Yes, SpaceX can basically be ready to launch Kuiper at any time, and Amazon's payload integration facility can also integrate satellites for three missions at the same time. The reason why KF-3 cannot be launched in time is basically that the satellite is not yet ready.

Offline AndrewM

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Project Kuiper KF-03 : Florida : NET Q3 2025
« Reply #5 on: 09/07/2025 07:21 pm »
KA-03 is the next Kuiper launch NET September 25. That likely pushes this launch into October.
Why? KA-03 is a ULA launch from SLC-41. KF-03 is a SpaceX launch from eitehr LC-39A or SLC-40. Is there a lack of Kuiper satellites?

Yes, Amazon confirmed that KA-03 was their next launch.

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Upcoming missions
We’re preparing to launch 27 Project Kuiper satellites as part of our next mission with United Launch Alliance (ULA). The mission, named KA-03 for our third Kuiper launch on an Atlas V rocket, will send another 27 satellites into orbit, bringing our total spacecraft deployed to 129 satellites.

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-rocket-launch-progress-updates

Online DanClemmensen

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Project Kuiper KF-03 : Florida : NET Q3 2025
« Reply #6 on: 09/07/2025 07:39 pm »
KA-03 is the next Kuiper launch NET September 25. That likely pushes this launch into October.
Why? KA-03 is a ULA launch from SLC-41. KF-03 is a SpaceX launch from eitehr LC-39A or SLC-40. Is there a lack of Kuiper satellites?

Yes, Amazon confirmed that KA-03 was their next launch.

Quote
Upcoming missions
We’re preparing to launch 27 Project Kuiper satellites as part of our next mission with United Launch Alliance (ULA). The mission, named KA-03 for our third Kuiper launch on an Atlas V rocket, will send another 27 satellites into orbit, bringing our total spacecraft deployed to 129 satellites.
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-rocket-launch-progress-updates
Thanks. This still does not tell us why KF-03 is being deferred.

Online GewoonLukas_

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Re: SpaceX F9 : Project Kuiper KF-03 : Florida : NET Q3 2025
« Reply #7 on: 09/10/2025 09:15 pm »
Ben Cooper (updated September 10th)
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Falcon 9 will launch NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) from pad 39A on September 23 at 7:32 a.m. EDT. Upcoming launches include more Starlink and Kuiper internet satellite batches. A Falcon 9 will launch the Spainsat NG-II communications satellite from pad 40 on October 22.
https://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Guide.html

So scheduled between IMAP and SpainSat-NG II
Lukas C. H. • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Online Galactic Penguin SST

https://spacenews.com/project-kuiper-plots-broadband-services-in-five-countries-by-end-of-march/

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An Atlas 5 is slated to deploy another 27 Kuiper satellites Sept. 25. Freeman outlined “another launch in October, and another November/December to have approximately 200-plus satellites by the end of the year — not exactly where we wanted to be, but again, making great progress.”

The October launch can only be KF-03 based on the non-availability of other launch vehicles in the same time frame (no space for another SLC-41 launch between KA-03 and ViaSat-3 F2 given recent ULA pad turn around timings).
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Offline Abdullah Hussain

https://spacenews.com/project-kuiper-plots-broadband-services-in-five-countries-by-end-of-march/

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An Atlas 5 is slated to deploy another 27 Kuiper satellites Sept. 25. Freeman outlined “another launch in October, and another November/December to have approximately 200-plus satellites by the end of the year — not exactly where we wanted to be, but again, making great progress.”

The October launch can only be KF-03 based on the non-availability of other launch vehicles in the same time frame (no space for another SLC-41 launch between KA-03 and ViaSat-3 F2 given recent ULA pad turn around timings).

It seems to me that either ULA will start Integration work of USSF-87 from VIF-A or there is another delay in the development of VIF-A.

Online Galactic Penguin SST

From Ben Cooper:

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A Falcon 9 will launch an Amazon Kuiper internet satellite batch from pad 40 on October.
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Online GewoonLukas_

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Launch has appeared on https://www.cadenaois.org/vpublic_anspdetail.jsp?view=15:

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Primary Launch Day 01 OCT 0448Z-0805Z
Backup Launch Day 02 OCT 0427Z-0744Z
Backup Launch Day 03 OCT 0405Z-0722Z
Backup Launch Day 04 OCT 0343Z-0700Z
Backup Launch Day 05 OCT 0312Z-0629Z
Backup Launch Day 06 OCT 0250Z-0608Z
Backup Launch Day 07 OCT 0229Z-0546Z
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Offline StraumliBlight

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NOTAM E3031/25 [Sep 25]

Quote
E3031/25 NOTAMN
Q) YMMM/QRDCA/IV/BO/W/000/999/5041S10936E999
A) YMMM
B) 2510010716 C) 2510070800
D) 2510010716 TO 2510011019
   2510020655 TO 2510020958
   2510030633 TO 2510030936
   2510040611 TO 2510040914
   2510050540 TO 2510050843
   2510060518 TO 2510060822
   2510070457 TO 2510070800
E) TEMPO DANGER AREA ACT DUE SPACE DEBRIS FROM ROCKET LAUNCH FLW RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: HAZARDOUS OPS WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY AND SPLASHDOWN OF SPACEX STARSHIP KF-3 STAGE 2 WI THE FOLLOWING AREA:
5243S 13521E - 5048S 13615E - 4229S 08529E - 4424S 08442E TO BEGINNING
F) SFC G) UNL

Online Galactic Penguin SST

NET October 4 now per CADENA OIS:

Primary Launch Day 04 OCT 0343Z-0700Z Backup Launch Day 05 OCT 0312Z-0629Z Backup Launch Day 06 OCT 0250Z-0608Z Backup Launch Day 07 OCT 0229Z-0546Z Backup Launch Day 08 OCT 0207Z-0524Z Backup Launch Day 09 OCT 0146Z-0503Z Backup Launch Day 10 OCT 0124Z-0441Z
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Offline TJL

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With Star Link 10-59 scheduled for launch at 1:39 a.m. from SLC-40, is it possible to launch Kuiper from the same pad that day?

Online GewoonLukas_

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With Star Link 10-59 scheduled for launch at 1:39 a.m. from SLC-40, is it possible to launch Kuiper from the same pad that day?

This launch has moved to LC-39A per https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt


SPACEX KF-3  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL
PRIMARY:   10/04/25   0343Z-0700Z
BACKUP:    10/05/25   0312Z-0629Z
Lukas C. H. • May the force be with you my friend, Ad Astra Per Aspera ✨️

Offline AndrewM

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SpaceFlightNow is showing landing on ASoG which is likely because SL 10-59 is scheduled to land on JRtI.

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a batch of satellites into low Earth orbit for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet service. The Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to land on the drone ship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas,’ positioned in the Atlantic Ocean.
[Sep. 29]

Offline StraumliBlight

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NOTAM E3052/25 [Sep 29]

Quote
Start Date UTC: 10/04/2025 0611
End Date UTC: 10/10/2025 0655

Q) YMMM/QRDCA/IV/BO/W/000/999/5113S10758E999
A) YMMM
B) 2510040611 C) 2510100655
D) 2510040611 TO 2510040914
   2510050540 TO 2510050843
   2510060518 TO 2510060822
   2510070457 TO 2510070800
   2510080435 TO 2510080738
   2510090414 TO 2510090717
   2510100352 TO 2510100655
E) TEMPO DANGER AREA ACT
DUE SPACE DEBRIS FROM ROCKET LAUNCH FLW RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: HAZARDOUS OPS WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR ATMOSPHERIC RE-ENTRY AND SPLASHDOWN OF SPACEX STARSHIP KF-3
STAGE 2 WI THE FOLLOWING AREA:5243S 13521E - 5048S 13615E - 4229S 08529E - 4424S 08442E TO BEGINNING
F) SFC G) UNL

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Delayed to NET October 7 UTC per https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_spt:

SPACEX KF-3  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL
PRIMARY:    10/07/25   0229Z-0546Z
BACKUP:   10/08/25   0207Z-0524Z
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Online Galactic Penguin SST

And another push back indicated by CADENA OIS:

Primary Launch Day 09 OCT 0146Z-0503Z Backup Launch Day 10 OCT 0124Z-0441Z Backup Launch Day 11 OCT 0102Z-0420Z Backup Launch Day 12 OCT 0041Z-0358Z Backup Launch Day 13 OCT 0019Z-0337Z
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