Prime Highlight:
- The FCC approved Amazon’s request to deploy 4,500 additional low Earth orbit satellites, expanding its Leo broadband network as it competes with SpaceX’s Starlink.
- With the new authorization, Amazon’s planned constellation will grow to about 7,700 satellites, marking a major step in its $10 billion space internet initiative.
Key Facts:
- The FCC requires Amazon to launch half of the newly approved satellites by Feb. 10, 2032, and the remainder by Feb. 10, 2035.
- Leo will compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, which operates more than 9,000 satellites and serves approximately 9 million customers worldwide.
Background:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday approved Amazon’s request to deploy 4,500 additional low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, expanding the company’s space-based internet network as it competes with SpaceX’s Starlink.
With the new authorization, Amazon’s planned Leo constellation will grow to around 7,700 satellites. The company launched more than 150 satellites since April using multiple rocket providers. Amazon aims to begin offering internet services through Leo later this year. It first announced the project in 2019.
The newly approved satellites form part of Amazon’s second-generation system. They will operate at altitudes of up to 400 miles above Earth. According to the FCC notice, these satellites will support more frequency bands and expand coverage to additional regions.
The FCC set strict deployment deadlines. Amazon must launch half of the newly approved satellites by Feb. 10, 2032, and the remaining half by Feb. 10, 2035.
Separately, Amazon faces a July 2026 deadline to deploy 1,600 first-generation satellites. The company recently asked the FCC to extend that deadline to July 2028 or waive it, citing rocket shortages and delays outside its control. The agency has not yet decided on the request.
Amazon said it is producing satellites faster than launch providers can send them into orbit. The company has committed $10 billion to the Leo project and expects to spend another $1 billion this year.
Leo will compete directly with SpaceX’s Starlink, which operates more than 9,000 satellites and serves about 9 million customers. Amazon plans more than 20 launches in 2026 and over 30 in 2027, with its next mission scheduled this week.