In brief United Launch Alliance successfully deployed Amazon’s first operational Kuiper satellite Monday, marking a milestone in Amazon’s effort to build a low-Earth orbit broadband network. The launch intensifies competition with SpaceX’s Starlink system, as Amazon and ULA target the deployment of 1,618 satellites by mid-2026. The mission kicks off a broader agreement between Amazon and ULA involving 46 total launches using Atlas V and Vulcan rockets. Decrypt’s Art, Fashion, and Entertainment Hub. Discover SCENE Amazon took a significant step toward building its internet network Monday as United Launch Alliance successfully deployed the company's first operational satellites, intensifying competition with SpaceX’s Starlink system in the race for space-based connectivity. United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, carrying Kuiper 1—the first satellite in Amazon’s planned low-Earth orbit constellation. ULA vice president of government and commercial programs, Gary Wentz, called the launch a milestone in Amazon’s push to expand broadband access worldwide. “We have worked diligently with the Project Kuiper team to place this important mission into orbit and are grateful for the opportunity to continue building upon this dynamic partnership,” he said in a statement .The mission marks the start of a deal between Amazon and United Launch Alliance, which will deploy most of Amazon’s satellite constellation using eight Atlas V