Amazon Kuiper satellite launches on Ariane 6 to begin in February

Arianespace has announced that the first launch of the Amazon Kuiper (formerly Project Kuiper) satellite constellation will take place on February 12 from the Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana. The mission will mark the first commercial flight of the Ariane 64 rocket, the four-solid-booster version of Ariane 6.

The mission will deploy 32 Amazon Kuiper satellites into orbit. It will be the first of several launches planned for Amazon in 2026. For Arianespace, the launch represents a key step toward increasing the flight rate of its new launch vehicle.

Arianespace plans to conduct four Ariane 6 launches in 2025 and increase the number to seven or eight in 2026. In the second half of 2026, the company expects to introduce upgraded P160C solid rocket boosters, replacing the current P120C and increasing Ariane 64’s payload capacity by 10–15%.

By 2027, Arianespace aims to reach a peak launch rate of 9–10 missions per year. One of its future priorities includes participation in deploying Europe’s IRIS² sovereign satellite communications system.