A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 24 of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet spacecraft from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Aug. 11, at 1235 UTC. The first-stage booster(B1091), which was a converted Falcon Heavy core stage, returned to Earth approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, landing safely on the droneship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Falcon 9's upper stage placed the 24 Kuiper satellites into an initial parking orbit about an hour after launch. The satellites were deployed over a 7.5-minute period beginning approximately 56 minutes after liftoff. The satellites will use onboard electric propulsion to raise their orbits to the operational altitude of 630 kilometers.

KF-02 mission was part of Amazon's effort to build a constellation of 3,232 satellites to compete with SpaceX's Starlink network. Amazon has booked over 80 launches for the project, initially relying on United Launch Alliance (ULA), Arianespace, and Blue Origin, but turned to SpaceX for additional capacity due to launch schedule constraints.

The majority of SpaceX’s 2025 Falcon 9 launches—over 70%—have focused on expanding Starlink, the company’s megaconstellation that now includes more than 8,100 operational satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Starlink continues to grow rapidly, providing global broadband coverage, while Amazon’s Project Kuiper, with only four launches so far, is in its early stages with 102 satellites deployed after this mission.

Monday's launch was the fifth scheduled attempt for the mission, designated KF-02, following previous delays -- on August 9 due to poor weather at the launch site and on August 10 due to unfavorable recovery conditions.

This launch was also the 97th Falcon 9 mission of the year, with the other three missions being suborbital test flights of SpaceX’s Starship, a reusable vehicle designed for Mars colonization.

Following Monday's flight, this Falcon 9 booster, B1091 is expected to be reconfigured and flown as a Falcon Heavy center booster.

Paramount Global has secured a landmark seven-year, $7.7 billion exclusive U.S. media rights deal for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), effective from 2026, marking the end of the UFC's pay-per-view model and its current agreement with ESPN.

The deal, announced Monday, makes Paramount+ the exclusive streaming home for all 13 marquee numbered UFC events and 30 Fight Nights annually, with select events also airing on CBS. This move follows Paramount's recent acquisition by Skydance Media, with the new leadership under CEO David Ellison seeing the UFC as a "unicorn sports asset" and a cornerstone for growth.

UFC President Dana White announced the deal on social media, calling it a "huge win" and stating, "This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes. For the first time ever, fans in the US will have access to all UFC content without a Pay-Per-View model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform."

Paramount Global, under new CEO David Ellison, emphasized the strategic importance of the deal, stating, "We think it is going to be incredibly material in terms of increasing our engagement on Paramount+, driving subscriber acquisitions and also meaningfully growing revenue across the business." Ellison also described the UFC as a "global sports powerhouse" and a "unicorn asset."

The deal replaces a five-year agreement with ESPN, which was valued at approximately $500 million annually and ended at the close of 2025. The new agreement, averaging $1.1 billion per year, is weighted toward the later years of the seven-year term.

Negotiations accelerated significantly after the Skydance-Paramount merger was finalized, with the final deal reportedly negotiated in just 48 hours. TKO Group, the parent company of UFC, initially considered splitting the rights but ultimately secured the full package with Paramount. The deal also opens the possibility for Paramount to pursue UFC rights in international markets as they become available.