{"id":9815,"date":"2025-06-22T19:24:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T11:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/ula-launches-kuiper-2-mission-on-atlas-5-rocket-from-cape-canaveral\/"},"modified":"2025-06-22T19:24:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T11:24:15","slug":"ula-launches-kuiper-2-mission-on-atlas-5-rocket-from-cape-canaveral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/ula-launches-kuiper-2-mission-on-atlas-5-rocket-from-cape-canaveral\/","title":{"rendered":"ULA launches Kuiper 2 mission on Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_70067\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70067\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-70067\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_launch_MC-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_launch_MC-1.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_launch_MC-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_launch_MC-1-678x451.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_launch_MC-1-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70067\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">United Launch Alliance launches its Atlas 5 rocket on June 23, 2025 with the second batch of 27 Project Kuiper satellites for Amazon towards low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Image: Michael Cain\/Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Update June 23, 7:23 a.m. EDT: ULA launched its Atlas 5 rocket.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>For a second time this year, United Launch Alliance launched an Atlas 5 rocket carrying 27 of Amazon\u2019s Project Kuiper internet satellites into low Earth orbit. This was just the second production batch that will make up a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites eventually.<\/p>\n<p>Monday was also the second attempt to launch this mission, dubbed Kuiper 2 by ULA, following a nitrogen purge issue connected to the rocket\u2019s booster engine that caused a scrub on June 16 and for the rocket to be returned to the Vertical Integration Facility to address the issue.<\/p>\n<p>Liftoff for the 205-foot-tall (62.5 m) rocket happened at 6:54 a.m. EDT (1054 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the opening of a 30-minute launch window.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Jg9tqqZbmVE?si=TZMXuEDhoG1cyyxM\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, the 45th Weather Squadron forecast a 80 percent chance for favorable weather conditions at launch time, listing concerns only for cumulus clouds and low to moderate solar activity.<\/p>\n<p>Teams progressed through a smooth, quiet countdown to liftoff and weren\u2019t working any issues in the lead up to launch.<\/p>\n<p>Like it first did a week ago, ULA rolled its Atlas 5 rocket out from the VIF on a journey of a third of a mile to the launch pad on Saturday. Launch teams spent part of the day loading RP-1, a rocket-grade kerosene onto the rocket in preparation for launch day fueling.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70060\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70060\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-70060\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-3.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-3-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-3-678x406.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-3-768x460.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70060\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">United Launch Alliance\u2019s Atlas 5 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the planned launch of the Kuiper 2 mission for Amazon on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Image: Adam Bernstein\/Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The launch carried the ULA designation of AV-105 and it was the 103rd launch of an Atlas 5 rocket. ULA refers to the mission as Atlas 5 Kuiper 2 or simply Kuiper 2.<\/p>\n<p>This launch will be followed by a pair of national security missions using the company\u2019s Vulcan rocket and then ULA plans to launch its first batch of Kuiper satellites on a Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral. Vulcan can send 45 Kuiper satellites into LEO as opposed to the 27 that an Atlas 5 rocket can support.<\/p>\n<p>Following Monday\u2019s launch, ULA has six more Atlas 5 rockets that have been purchased by Amazon to fly satellites for its constellation. The tech giant procured nine in total, but the first was used on a dedicated mission solely for the demonstration Kuiper satellites in a mission dubbed Protoflight.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70070\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70070\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-70070\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_liftoff_AB-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"876\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_liftoff_AB-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250623_Kuiper-2_liftoff_AB-1-205x300.jpg 205w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70070\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">United Launch Alliance\u2019s Atlas 5 551 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to begin the Kuiper 2 mission on June 23, 2025. Image: Adam Bernstein\/Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>Creating a cadence<\/h4>\n<p>Amazon is up against a regulatory clock to get its satellites on orbit and in a functioning constellation. It has a requirement from its agreement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to get at least half of its planned first-generation constellation of more than 3,200 satellites in operation by the end of July 2026.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the remaining Atlas 5 rockets at its disposal, Amazon also purchased 38 Vulcan rockets, 18 Ariane 6 rockets, 12 New Glenn rockets (with the option to add another 15) and three Falcon 9 rockets from ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin and SpaceX respectively.<\/p>\n<p>When it announced the purchase of the Falcon 9 flights from SpaceX, Amazon said in December 2023 that it would begin launching on this rocket in mid-2025. Since then, Amazon has not commented on whether or not it is still on pace with satellite production or delivery to meet that timeline.<\/p>\n<p>Both Blue Origin and Arianespace have not discussed their launch manifests extensively in a public setting, but both companies are aiming for their next launches in the August timeframe and neither will be with Project Kuiper satellites on board. It remains unclear when the first Kuiper launch will take place with those rockets.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1918363321285148854&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2025%2F06%2F22%2Flive-coverage-ula-to-launch-kuiper-2-mission-on-atlas-5-rocket-from-cape-canaveral%2F&amp;sessionId=cc21be689d446c1e422372e79e6a73f7048a4b6b&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1918363321285148854\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782462033503157637=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Take a look at this @ULAlaunch clip of the first Kuiper satellites being released into low Earth orbit approximately 280 miles above the planet. Deployment takes place over a 15-minute period after launch, with satellites released three at a time from the dispenser system. pic.twitter.com\/bZ1zUy3IWs<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Project Kuiper (@ProjectKuiper) May 2, 2025<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>It created a new page on its website on June 10, 2025, that it said contains \u201cupdates on recent and upcoming Project Kuiper missions.\u201d As of June 15, the page didn\u2019t include references to any other launches beyond what it designated as KA-02 and the previously launched KA-01, which lifted off on April 28.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cULA will deploy the satellites at an altitude of 280 miles (450 kilometers) above Earth, at which point the Project Kuiper team will take over command of the mission from our 24\/7 mission operations center in Redmond, Washington, confirm satellite health, and ultimately raise the satellites to their assigned orbit of 392 miles (630 km) above Earth,\u201d Amazon wrote regarding the upcoming launch.<\/p>\n<p>This second flight for Amazon brings its constellation up to 54 satellites in total out of the more than 1,600 it needs in just a little more than a year\u2019s time. In a post on LinkedIn, Rajeev Badyal, the vice president of Technology at Project Kuiper said April\u2019s launch made him optimistic about the direction of the company.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe success of our first full-scale Kuiper mission in April meant we could move immediately to our next launch,\u201d Badyal wrote. \u201cAll 27 satellites for our KA-02 mission were fully integrated within 17 days of that first launch, and ULA plans to send them into orbit next Monday. Thanks to the entire team for the quick turnaround. Go Kuiper. Go Atlas. Go KA-02!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A key test for Amazon will be how quickly it can get back to the pad with its satellites, whichever rocket will be ready to fly them.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_70061\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70061\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-70061\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"584\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-2.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-2-678x452.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250622_Kuiper-2_prelaunch_AB-2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-70061\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">United Launch Alliance\u2019s Atlas 5 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the planned launch of the Kuiper 2 mission for Amazon on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Image: Adam Bernstein\/Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>United Launch Alliance launches its Atlas 5 rocket on June 23, 2025 with the second batch of 27 Project Kuiper satellites for Amazon towards low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Image: Michael Cain\/Spaceflight Now Update June 23, 7:23 a.m. EDT: ULA launched its Atlas 5 rocket. For [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[275,724,725,1067,962,363],"class_list":["post-9815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-amazon","tag-atlas-5","tag-atlas-5-551","tag-atlas-kuiper-2","tag-project-kuiper","tag-ula"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9815"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9815"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9815\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}