Amazon Kuiper Hits 231 Production Satellites as Enterprise Beta Service Begins

Amazon's Project Kuiper had deployed 231 production satellites to low Earth orbit by mid-April 2026 and launched an Enterprise Beta program to begin commercial trials with early business and government customers. Amazon must launch at least 1,618 satellites (half its 3,236-satellite constellation) by July 30, 2026 per FCC license requirements, creating urgent pressure on its deployment schedule. Kuiper's hardware kit is priced at $399 — significantly below Starlink's kit — with service starting at $49.99/month, positioning Amazon to compete aggressively in both developed and emerging market broadband segments.