United Launch Alliance is set to launch its Atlas V rocket tonight, April 9, from Florida, carrying a full load of satellites for a new Amazon project, and there’s a chance New Jersey could see it light up the night sky.
The first-ever launch of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Project Kuiper will deliver 27 satellites into low-Earth orbit to provide broadband network (internet) to customers around the world. Bezos’ constellation of 3,232 broadband satellites eventually will compete for customers with SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s sprawling Starlink network.
The massive Atlas V, equipped with five side-mounted rocket boosters, is slated to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida this evening, with a two-hour launch window. Here’s where you might be able to view the launch from New Jersey, or how to watch from another state or online.
When is the Atlas V launch time in Florida?
The ULA’s Atlas V Kuiper 1 rocket launch is scheduled between 7-9 p.m. tonight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Center, which is located off the east coast of Florida.
Here’s where it is launching from:
Can I see Atlas V launch from New Jersey? What cities can I see Atlas V rocket launch from?
According to a map shared by ULA, the Atlas V launch of Kuiper 1 should be visible along the East Coast as it heads northeast into space from Florida’s eastern shore.
The graphic places the rocket within view for most of New Jersey at 330 seconds (5 and a half minutes) after launch, weather permitting. Parts of South Jersey, such as Cape May, could view the rocket earlier, around 270 seconds (4 and a half minutes) after launch.
Reminder that the launch window is anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. tonight. Keep an eye on ULA’s livestream or ULA’s X page for updates.
How to watch Atlas V launch online
The ULA will livestream the launch on its YouTube page, beginning at 6:35 p.m. ULA has also been providing live updates on their X social media page throughout the day.
What is Kuiper?
Amazon, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, has planned the $10 billion Project Kuiper internet constellation, a network of what is hoped to be thousands of satellites that beam internet traffic around the world. The Amazon satellite division is constructing a $120 million, 100,000-sqaure-foot complex at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, which will help prep Project Kuiper’s 3,200-plus satellites for launch from the Cape.
Atlas V will lift the first set of 27 satellites that will reach an altitude of 280 miles above Earth on Wednesday. The goal? To connect billions of people with a global network of ground-based antennas, fiber and internet connection points, according to Florida Today.
In total, ULA plans to launch eight Atlas V and 38 Vulvan rockets on Project Kuiper missions, and the idea is exactly the same concept as Starlink, the SpaceX company owned by Musk. According to Amazon, its satellites will travel at more than 17,000 miles per hour and circle Earth approximately every 90 minutes.
Kuiper is named after the icy Kuiper Belt extending from Neptune’s orbit.
Is Starlink better than Kuiper? Who is ahead, Starlink or Kuiper?
Starlink is far ahead, by quite a lot, when it comes to operational satellites.
Kuiper has been granted permission by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to operate 3,236 satellites, and the company said it won’t roll out service to customers until later this year, at the earliest. According to New Scientist, the company said it won’t start renting out internet connections to users until 578 satellites are launched — meaning if today’s mission is successful, they still have 551 more satellites to send up in space before the constellation is operational.
Meanwhile, Starlink — Musk’s SpaceX company — started launching satellites in 2019. As of March 28, the company had 7,135 satellites in orbit, serving millions of customers, according to Space.com. The company is also developing a military satellite network called Starshield that reportedly has contracts with the U.S. government.
Is Kuiper and Blue Origin the same?
No, Project Kuiper is an Amazon initiative, part of the same division that produces Kindle, Echo, Fire TV, Ring and other tech devices. Blue Origin is a separate rocket company founded by Bezos and is not connected in any way.
Who is Jeff Bezos?
Jeff Bezos, 61, is the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon, stepping down as CEO in 2021 to become the executive chairman. He also owns the Washington Post and Blue Origin. He is soon to be married to fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, 55, in Venice this summer with a guest list including Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump and Bill Gates, according to
.
He was ranked as the third richest person in the world in 2025, according to Forbes’ Billionaires List, with a net worth of $215 billion, just below Mark Zuckerberg ($216B) and Musk, who earned the top spot with a net worth of $342 billion.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
