WorldTekhno.com: Elon Musk’s Starlink can no longer be calm, because on April 9, 2025, Amazon revealed plans to launch a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, and this could be a competitor for Elon Musk. A total of 27 first-generation internet satellites from the Kuiper project will go into space to compete.
Amazon said the launch of the Kuiper Atlas 1 mission will take place on April 9, 2025 at 12 EDT from Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States.
“We’ve done extensive ground testing to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things that can only be learned in flight, and this will be the first time we’ve flown our final satellite design and the first time we’ve deployed so many satellites at once,” said Amazon’s Kuiper Vice President, Rajeev Badyal as quoted by Reuters, Thursday (3/4/2025).
“No matter how this mission goes, this is just the beginning of our journey, and we have everything we need to learn and adapt as we prepare to launch again and again in the years to come,” he added.
Amazon first announced the Kuiper project in 2019 with a $10 billion investment in network development.
Although it was a late starter, Amazon has continued to prepare the internet service that Kuiper will broadcast, including ordering 83 rocket launches from ULA, Arianespace France, and Blue Origin in 2022.
Amazon representatives have also visited the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) Office to meet directly with the Minister of Communication and Digital (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid some time ago regarding their plans to operate Kuiper in Indonesia.
“So, yesterday Kuiper came (their representatives) to introduce it and the permit has not been issued. However, we appreciate them because from the start they informed us of their investment plans in Indonesia,” said Meutya during a breaking of the fast with journalists in Jakarta, Friday (22/3).
With the presence of Kuiper, it is hoped that it can help the availability of internet access, especially in remote, outermost, and remote areas (3T). If there are no obstacles, internet services via Kuiper can be enjoyed by the public in 2025.***
