Amazon’s second batch of Project Kuiper broadband satellites are due to launch today [June 23rd]. United Launch Alliance (ULA) is planning its Atlas 5 rocket to lift off at 6.54am (Eastern/Florida time) subject to the usual weather and last-minute technical observations. KA-02 will carry 27 satellites. The Jeff Bezos-backed Amazon Project Kuiper broadband-by-satellite system will then have 54 of its craft in space. Project Kuiper has, however, a long way to go. The initial target is to orbit at least half of the overall target 3,200 satellites by the end of July 2026. The first flight (KA-01) took off on April 28th. This will be achieved with six more ULA Atlas 5 rockets, 38 ULA 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. Rajeev Badyal, the vice president of Technology at Project Kuiper said April’s launch made him optimistic about the direction of the company. “The success of our first full-scale Kuiper mission in April meant we could move immediately to our next launch,” Badyal stated. The original FCC filing back in 2021 by Kuiper talked of a 7774-craft constellation. Other posts by