Cape Canaveral (Florida, USA), 29 Apr (LaPresse/AP) – Amazon has launched its first batch of Internet satellites into orbit. This is the latest in a market currently dominated by SpaceX with its Starlink system. The United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket carried 27 satellites of Amazon's Project Kuiper, named after the icy borders of our solar system beyond Neptune.Once released into orbit, the satellites will reach an altitude of nearly 400 miles (630 kilometres). Two test satellites were launched in 2023, again from an Atlas V. Project managers said that major upgrades have been made to the latest version. The latest satellites are also coated with a mirror film designed to diffuse reflected sunlight in an attempt to meet the needs of astronomers. Astronomy enthusiasts object to the rapid growth of satellite constellations in low orbit, arguing that they compromise observations. Others fear an increase in collisions between satellites.
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