United Launch Alliance (ULA) was forced to delay the second flight of Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite mission on Monday after encountering a technical issue with the rocket booster. The postponement affects Amazon’s ongoing efforts to expand its satellite internet constellation.
Launch Scrubbed Over Booster Issue
With about 30 minutes remaining in the countdown, ULA announced it was halting the launch due to “an elevated purge temperature” in the Atlas V rocket’s booster engine. ULA CEO Tory Bruno explained on Bluesky that a possible problem with a GN2 purge line could not be resolved during the countdown, requiring the team to stand down for the day. A new launch date has not yet been announced.
Second Delay Following Weather Disruption
The launch from Florida’s Space Coast had already been rescheduled from last Friday to Monday due to unfavorable weather conditions. The mission was scheduled to lift off at 1:25 p.m. ET before the technical issue emerged.
Amazon Expanding Kuiper Constellation
Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to create a large network of satellites providing high-speed internet from low Earth orbit. In April, Amazon successfully launched 27 Kuiper satellites. The latest mission was set to carry another 27 satellites, which would have brought the total constellation to 54 satellites in orbit.
Race to Meet FCC Deadline
Amazon ultimately plans to deploy a constellation of more than 3,000 satellites. The company faces a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deadline requiring it to launch at least half of the constellation — 1,618 satellites — by July 2026 to maintain its licensing requirements.
Growing Competition in Satellite Internet
Project Kuiper joins a rapidly expanding satellite internet market. The sector is currently led by SpaceX’s Starlink network, with other competitors including SoftBank-backed OneWeb and Viasat. These networks aim to deliver global internet coverage by transmitting signals directly from orbit to ground-based receivers.
While Monday’s delay temporarily halts Amazon’s progress, the company remains focused on building out its satellite internet network. ULA will work to resolve the technical issue before announcing a new launch window for the next phase of Project Kuiper’s deployment.
