Arianespace has signed its largest ever deal for 18 launches of broadband satellites for Amazon using its next generation system.

The deal to launch the satellites into low earth orbit for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband service will use the highest performing version of Ariane 6, Ariane 64, over three years. These will launch Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Among the 18 launches planned for the deployment of the Project Kuiper, 16 will be carried out with an advanced version of the Ariane 64 (above right).

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This is a key part of Europe’s strategy to have a sovereign launcher capability. Previously Arianspace has used the Russian Soyuz launcher, for example to launch the OneWeb LEO broadband satellites. Sanctions on Russia meant OneWeb had to find another launch partner, in this case SpaceX.

The deal also makes Arianespace a stronger competitor to SpaceX, which also operates its own broadband satellite network, StarLink, that will compete directly with Project Kuiper. This will be key for the plans of the European Union for its own satellite network.

“This contract, the largest we’ve ever signed, is a great moment in Arianespace’s history,” Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace. “We are honoured to be given a significant role to play in the deployment of Amazon’s Project Kuiper, which aims to connect tens of millions of people to the internet. It will build on the European innovative spirit, industrial might, and years of experience of the Ariane partners. That Amazon has chosen the Ariane 6 to do the job is a matter of tremendous pride for us and a great vote of confidence for our new launch vehicle. This day marks a decisive success for the Ariane 6 Program and all its value chain in Europe.”

Ariane 6 will enter service later this year after significant delays and replace the Ariane 5 as Arianespace’s heavy lift workhorse. It has been designed from the outset to be scalable and able to integrate new technologies on a regular basis.

Out of the 18 A64 launches, 16 will use the higher performance P120C solid boosters (called the “P120C+” version).