Amazon launches satellites to rival Starlink

Amazon’s first batch of Internet satellites rocketed toward orbit Monday, the latest entry in the mega constellation market currently dominated by SpaceX’s thousands of Starlinks. The United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket carried up 27 of Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites, named after the frigid fringes of our solar system beyond Neptune. Once released in orbit, the satellites will eventually reach an altitude of nearly 630 kilometres. Two test satellites were launched in 2023, also by an Atlas V. Project officials said major upgrades were made to the newest version.