Amazon is champing at the bit to get its first Project Kuiper satellites into orbit so that it can start building a service that will one day rival SpaceX’s Starlink, which offers broadband connectivity to more than five million customers globally.
The web giant is planning to launch 27 Project Kuiper internet satellites on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Monday evening.
The first Project Kuiper satellites were supposed to head to orbit on April 9, but unstable weather conditions forced the mission team to halt the countdown clock shortly before launch.
And the weather could disrupt Monday’s mission, too.
The latest forecast from the mission’s weather team indicates a 75% chance of acceptable conditions for launch.
While the weather has been pretty good over the weekend, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to hit central Florida on Monday.
“The window could see coastal shower activity from onshore flow and afternoon/early evening thunderstorm activity, primarily inland and over west Florida, from interactions with the sea breeze,” the weather team said, adding: “Thunderstorm development may also occur over the gulf stream. Although the steering flow appears likely to keep most thunderstorm activity away from [Cape Canaveral], anvil clouds could be an issue.”
If the weather is deemed too bad for launch, there is a backup opportunity on Tuesday, with forecasters suggesting a 90% chance of liftoff on that day.
“For the backup day, high pressure with drier air is expected to return to the Space Coast,” the weather team said.
ULA has shared a visibility map (below) showing how folks on the East Coast will be able to see the Atlas V blasting to orbit — clear skies permitting, of course.
Over the next four years, Amazon plans to deploy just over 3,000 Project Kuiper internet satellites into low-Earth orbit to provide fast, reliable internet for customers around the world, particularly those in unserved and underserved communities.
To expedite the deployment, Amazon will not only use ULA’s Atlas V rocket, but also its newer Vulcan vehicle, which can carry up to 45 Amazon satellites in one flight. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket will also perform Project Kuiper satellite deployments.
Interested in watching Amazon get its first Project Kuiper satellites into orbit? Digital Trends has all you need to know.