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Amazon has launched its first batch of Project Kuiper internet satellites, marking the start of its push to rival  Starlink.

The mission, called Kuiper Atlas 1, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7pm local time aboard a  (ULA) Atlas V rocket that will carry 27 satellites into orbit.

A previous attempt was scrubbed earlier this month because of bad weather.

, a subsidiary of the online retail giant founded by Jeff Bezos, is playing catch-up with Starlink – SpaceX’s sprawling network of internet satellites that has reshaped the sector and handed Musk significant geopolitical clout.

The US$10 billion ($16.7b) initiative plans to deploy 3200 satellites into low Earth orbit – the region of space up to 1900km above the planet – with hopes of going live later this year.

Pricing has not yet been revealed, but Amazon has pledged it will align with its reputation as a low-cost retailer.

“Atlas V is on its way to orbit to take those 27 Kuiper satellites, put them on their way, and really start this new era in internet connectivity,” said ULA’s Caleb Weiss.

With today’s launch, Amazon formally enters a crowded and fast-growing field that includes not just Starlink but other emerging players in the satellite internet race.

SpaceX launched the first batch of  satellites in 2019 and now boasts more than 6750 operational units, serving more than five million customers worldwide – by far the sector’s dominant force.

Starlink has also provided crucial internet access in disaster and war zones, including Morocco after its  and on the frontlines in .

Amazon plans to accelerate launches in the coming months and years, with more than 80 flights booked through United Launch Alliance (a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture), France’s Arianespace, Bezos’ own  and even Musk’s SpaceX.

Its satellites will gradually join the swelling ranks in low Earth orbit, alongside Starlink, Europe’s OneWeb and China’s Guowang constellation.

The increasing crowding of this orbital neighbourhood has sparked concerns about congestion, potential collisions and disruptions to astronomical observations.

The expanding role of private companies in space has also raised thorny political questions, especially as Musk’s influence stretches beyond business into politics and diplomacy.

Musk has sent mixed signals on Starlink’s future role in Ukraine, where it remains vital to Kyiv’s war effort – a conflict that Musk ally US President Donald Trump has vowed to bring to an end.

–Agence France-Presse