European company Arianespace officially announced on Monday that the highly anticipated launch of 32 satellites as part of Amazon's Kuiper constellation (owned by American billionaire Jeff Bezos) will take place this February. The launch will be carried out using the giant European Ariane 6 rocket, a move that represents a significant leap forward for the European space sector and strengthens its position in the global commercial launch market.
Mission details and technical capabilities of the Ariane 6 rocket
David Cavayolis, CEO of Arianespace, the company responsible for marketing the rocket, confirmed that the company aims to launch between seven and eight space missions this year, which is double the number of missions completed in 2025. Cavayolis explained to journalists in the Paris region that the launch date for the Amazon constellation mission will be determined precisely "in the coming days".
This mission is of particular technical importance, as the Ariane 6 rocket will be equipped for the first time with four booster engines, the more powerful version known as the A64. This upgrade will double the payload the rocket can carry to orbit to 21.6 tons, making it a strong competitor in the heavy space transportation market.
Significance of the event: Europe's return to the space arena
This mission marks the first flight of the Ariane 6 rocket for a purely commercial customer, following four previous flights in 2025 for government institutions, including the French Ministry of Defense and the European Commission's Galileo and Copernicus programs. This launch represents a crucial step for the European Space Agency (ESA) and its partners, as Europe has faced a "launcher crisis" in recent years following the retirement of the Ariane 5 rocket and delays in the development of the Ariane 6. The success of this commercial mission makes it a formal declaration of Europe's regained independence and competitiveness in accessing space.
Clash of the Titans: Project Kuiper vs. Starlink
This launch comes amid fierce competition for dominance in the satellite internet market. According to Cavaloulis, using a European rocket is a "strategic diversification" for Amazon's project, which currently has around 150 satellites in orbit and aims to deploy more than 3,200 to provide high-speed global internet coverage.
By diversifying its launch partners (including Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance), Amazon aims to reduce its reliance on its direct competitor, SpaceX, which owns Starlink. Starlink currently dominates the sector with over 6,000 satellites in orbit, making it crucial for Amazon to accelerate its own satellite launches to close the market gap between the two companies.
