this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2025
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ULA Project Kuiper (KA-01) launch thread! (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/spaceflight@sh.itjust.works
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Welcome everyone!

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2025-04-10 00:59 | |

|

| | Scheduled for (local) | 2025-04-09 20:59 (EDT) | | Launch site | SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA. | | Launch vehicle | Atlas V 551 | | Launch provider | United Launch Alliance (ULA) | | Customer | Amazon Kuiper Systems | | Payload | KA-01 | | Mission success criteria | Successful launch and deployment of payload into LEO |

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |

|

| | ULA | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8XsTzF90sQ | | NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/@NASASpaceflight/streams | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW3RoGNQk9w | | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceflightNowVideo/streams | | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nov5NRi9ZiM |

Launch statistics

☑️ 1st Atlas V mission of 2025

☑️ 1st ULA mission of 2025

☑️ 102nd Atlas V mission overall

☑️ 164th ULA mission overall

Mission Details 🚀

Project Kuiper is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,236 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km altitude.

Previous ULA launch: Vulcan Cert-2

Next ULA launch: TBD

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[–] burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I forgot that Kuiper sats will orbit at 590/610/630 km. Hmm. Sounds like a great space junk orbit. And for that reason alone, I hope these birds are all healthy.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 1 points 8 months ago

Yeah, not as bad as the Guowang and Qianfan constellations (which seem irresponsibly high), but on the upper end of what seems prudent in terms of natural orbital decay times.