The United Launch Alliance took a week to reset, but was able to send out its second release of the year, carrying more Amazon satellites to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink Internet Constellation. The launch comes just hours after SpaceX sent its 50th rocket from Space Coast in 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
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United Launch Alliance Atlas v Rocket will launch Amazon’s Kuiper-2 mission from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, June 23, 2025.
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The Kuiper-2 mission Atlas V rocket with 27 internet satellites was lifted from the space launch complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:54am.
“Hot, straight, and normal,” ULA president and CEO Tory Bruno said in the X moment after its launch on X.
3, 2, 1…lift off! Atlas V powers from the launch pad carrying the next Amazon Satellites in the project Kuiper Broadband Constellation! pic.twitter.com/lkeqqlogfz
– ula (@ulalaunch) June 23, 2025
A week ago, ULA was scrubbing previous launch attempts due to measurements of weakness on the rocket associated with gaseous nitrogen purge lines.
This was the 76th previous launch of SpaceX from Space Coast this year, including a flight in California. The Falcon 9 was lifted from the Starlink satellite at 27am from Space Launch Complex 40 near Canaveral. I flew the 25th booster in the first stage.
SpaceX has launched over 9,000 Starlink satellites since 2019.
Falcon 9 delivers 27 @Starlink satellites from Florida into orbit pic.twitter.com/253lhqrudi
– SpaceX (@Spacex) June 23, 2025
The ULA launch will bring Space Coast total to 53 orbital launches per year, with SpaceX flying all but three. Blue Origin first launched its new Glenn Rocket in January, but ULA is currently managing two missions.
The Atlas V is one of the 14 remaining in ULA’s stable, seven of which I will save for Amazon. This is because the company appears to have the Project Kuiper satellite in orbit by 2028.
The company has purchased 38 additional launches at ULA’s new Vulcan Rocket, as well as missions on Blue Origin, Arianespace and even SpaceX. In total, Amazon has lined up over 80 flights to try and play catch-ups on SpaceX.
The satellite is manufactured in Washington, but Amazon will build a $120 million satellite processing facility on the nearly 80 acres of the former Kennedy Space Center shuttle landing facility, receiving preparations for the final launch, including fuel supply.
ULA has only flew two Vulcan rockets in 2024, but is hoping to fly it for the third time in July on the Space Force’s national security mission. Bruno said after that mission the Vulcan would fly its first Project Kuiper flight. On this flight, the Vulcan will have six solid rocket boosters in its most powerful configuration.
Amazon Missions then moves back and forth between Vulcan and the remaining six contracted Atlas V Rockets.
Vulcan Rockets has a larger capacity than the Atlas V and can carry 45 Project Kuiper satellites with each launch. Amazon aims to bring more than half of its planned constellations into orbit by July 2026 as part of the requirements presented by the Federal Communications Commission license.
To increase the cadence of launches, ULA is building a second vertically integrated facility in Cape Canaveral, allowing two rockets to be prepared at the same time. The goal is to increase the number of launches at least up to two moons on the Space Coast. It also has a boot function from California.
The ULA has had a total of five launches in 2024, including a heavy launch of the final Delta IV from Space Launch Complex 37. Under Space Force’s instructions, they prepared to destroy the launch tower of the SPLC-37 and build a new launch facility to support the spacecraft and ultra-heavy rockets under development.
SpaceX will continue to launch from the SLC-40 and Kennedy Space Center, while ULA will focus its Space Coast operations completely from the SLC-41.
ULA still has seven other Atlas V rockets reserved for other customers. One is for communications company Viasat and six are assigned to launches for Boeing Starliner, so the final flight of Atlas V may not arrive until 2030.
The ULA has a backlog of over 70 missions, including 24 for national security. The Vulcan rocket was only certified for launch this spring after years of development of the rocket.
Bruno says ULA hopes to bolster at least 24 releases a year by the end of 2026.
The company was founded in 2006 as a partnership between Boeing and Lockheed Martin and was the leading launch provider for national security missions until SpaceX entered the competition. Most of the missions the company flew over a year was 16 years old in 2009.
Original issue: June 23, 2025 7:05am EDT
