Amazon Teams Up with Elon Musk's SpaceX in Rare Satellite Launch Deal

By Madelaine Panganiban

Published: Jul 16 2025, 09:35 AM EDT

Amazon Teams Up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in Rare Satellite — An attendee passes an AWS logo at AWS re:Invent 2024, a conference hosted by Amazon Web Services, at The Venetian Las Vegas on December 3, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Noah Berger/Getty Images for Amazon Web Services/Getty Images

In a surprising move, Amazon is teaming up with Elon Musk's SpaceX to send its next group of internet satellites into space.

The rare partnership comes as part of Amazon's effort to build Project Kuiper—its satellite-based internet system meant to compete with SpaceX's Starlink.

On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, weather permitting, 24 new Kuiper satellites will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

According to CNBC, the mission, named KF-01, will be Amazon's first time using a SpaceX rocket. The launch is scheduled for 2:18 am ET, with a backup window the next morning.

Even though SpaceX and Amazon are fierce competitors in the race to deliver internet from space, the collaboration is simple business.

Amazon is paying SpaceX for the launch, just as it has with other companies like United Launch Alliance (ULA), which carried the first 54 Kuiper satellites earlier this year.

Elon Musk's SpaceX will help Amazon launch competitor Kuiper satellites: Here’s why https://t.co/nVxVak7Oys
— The News-Press (@TheNewsPress) July 15, 2025

Kuiper Satellite Count Rises to 78 as Amazon Pushes Forward

Amazon needs to move fast. The company must have at least 1,600 satellites in orbit by July 2026 to meet a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deadline.

So far, Amazon has 54 satellites in space, and this launch will bring the total to 78, Yahoo said. The Kuiper project could eventually include more than 3,200 satellites.

Project Kuiper is one of Amazon's biggest bets. The company has already invested more than $10 billion and may spend over $20 billion more to complete the network.

Analysts at Bank of America estimate Amazon could generate over $7 billion a year in revenue from the service by 2032 if it grabs a big share of the market.

"Amazon is working hard to meet its goals and bring internet access to people who need it," said the company, pointing to plans to serve rural and underserved communities.

Elon Musk's SpaceX, on the other hand, has a head start. Starlink already has about 8,000 satellites in orbit and nearly 5 million users worldwide.

But that hasn't stopped Amazon from pushing forward. While Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos also owns the rocket company Blue Origin, it's not yet ready to handle most Kuiper launches.