15 photos from Project Kuiper's first launch of low Earth orbit satellites

On April 28, United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched the first 27 Kuiper satellites into space, marking the start of a full-scale deployment of our low Earth orbit satellite network. The ULA Atlas V rocket lifted off at 7:01 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and completed releasing all 27 satellites into space 36 minutes later at an altitude of 280 miles (450 kilometers) above Earth. Our team in mission control established contact with all 27 satellites within 90 minutes of launch, and we've continued to have a nominal start to the mission with all systems and subsystems onboard operating as planned.