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.

An Israeli airstrike targeted a tent housing journalists outside Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital on Sunday, killing Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif, 28, along with four other Al Jazeera staff members: reporter Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa.

Al-Shifa Hospital is a major medical center that has been largely destroyed over the past 22 months of conflict. Seven people were killed in total, including the five Al Jazeera staff and two bystanders.

In the moments before his death, al-Sharif posted a video on social media showing intense Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, warning of "fire belts" being used on the eastern and southern parts of the city. He had previously written a final message, expressing his sorrow for his family and his unwavering commitment to reporting the truth without distortion, stating he "never hesitated for a single day to convey the truth as it is."

Al Jazeera confirmed the deaths of its staff and condemned the strike, describing al-Sharif as a well-known and courageous reporter who had extensively covered northern Gaza. The network had recently denounced the Israeli military for a "campaign of incitement" against its reporters, including al-Sharif, who had been repeatedly threatened.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed the strike, claiming al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and military forces, citing intelligence and documents found in Gaza.

The IDF claimed the documents found in Gaza provided "unequivocal proof" of al-Sharif's military affiliation with Hamas. However, analysts and human rights groups have stated there is "zero evidence" of his involvement in hostilities, asserting his entire routine was reporting from the front lines.

The Committee to Protect Journalists and the UN have expressed grave concern, warning that such accusations are part of "campaign of incitement" and "smear campaign" to discredit journalists and justify their killing.

Al-Sharif, a graduate of Al-Aqsa University, was a prominent voice for Al Jazeera Arabic since the war began in October 2023.