Ariane 6 launches Amazon satellites in February: Details of the first commercial mission
European company Arianespace announced a pivotal step in the commercial space sector, confirming that February will see the launch of 32 satellites as part of the Amazon Kuiper project, owned by American billionaire Jeff Bezos. This crucial operation will be carried out using an Ariane 6 rocket, marking a significant milestone in the history of the European space program.
In a press statement from the Paris region, David Cavayolis, CEO of Arianespace, the company responsible for marketing the rocket, explained that the company aims to significantly accelerate its operations. It plans to launch between seven and eight space missions this year, double the number of missions planned for 2025, reflecting growing confidence in the new rocket's capabilities.
A quantum leap in the capabilities of Ariane 6
This mission is of particular technical importance, as the Ariane 6 rocket will be equipped for the first time with four booster engines. This engineering modification will enable the rocket to double its maximum payload to 21.6 tons for carrying payloads into orbit, which is suitable for deploying large satellite constellations.
This flight marks the first mission for the Ariane 6 rocket for a purely commercial client, after its four previous flights in 2025 were limited to missions for institutional and governmental entities, including the French Ministry of Defense to launch military surveillance satellites, and the European Commission to support the Galileo navigation and Copernicus Earth observation programs.
The space internet race and global competition
This launch comes amid fierce competition for dominance in the low-orbit (LEO) satellite internet market. Amazon Kuiper, which currently has around 150 satellites in orbit, aims to deploy a vast network of more than 3,200 satellites to provide high-speed global internet coverage.
Bezos's project faces a significant challenge from its main competitor, Starlink, the space arm of Elon Musk's SpaceX, which has already successfully deployed more than 6,000 satellites and currently dominates the sector. Therefore, the success of the February mission is crucial for Amazon to accelerate the rollout of its network and close the gap with its rivals.
Strategic importance of the European space sector
Strategically, this collaboration between Amazon and Arianespace represents "strategic diversification" for both parties. For Amazon, using European rockets ensures it doesn't become entirely dependent on a single supplier or wait in long queues with competing American companies.
As for Europe, the success of this commercial mission puts the Old Continent back at the forefront of the global space launch market, confirming the ability of the European industry to provide reliable and competitive solutions to large commercial customers, not just government institutions, thus enhancing Europe’s independence in accessing space.
