Amazon Leo has taken a key step to launch its satellite internet service, after completing the deployment of the minimum satellites required in low orbit to begin operating this very year for a small group of users. Although Jeff Bezos‘ project is still far from matching Starlink in reach and magnitude, the company is already positioning itself as a new global player in the competitive satellite connectivity market.
Leo’s Vice President of Product and Business, Chris Weber, announced on the social network X that the company has launched 29 additional satellites, reaching a total of 396 satellites in low Earth orbit. This figure allows Amazon to offer “continuous service in the initial latitudes” for the first time, according to the executive.
Although there is still work ahead, such as raising the satellites to their final positions, the company considers that it has met the minimum technical objective to begin providing basic coverage by the end of this year.
Amazon plans to reach 7,727 satellites in orbit by 2035 and accelerate launches with the Vulcan rocket.
The service, which will initially be limited to certain users in the United States, has not yet revealed its pricing or the exact scope of coverage. Leo plans to progressively expand its capacity as it continues with new releases.
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Accelerated deployment, but far from Starlink’s scale
The progress of Leo is relevant, although the distance from Starlink remains considerable. Elon Musk‘s satellite network already exceeds 10,000 satellites in orbit and offers internet in more than 150 countries, in addition to providing service to more than 200 international airlines, including United Airlines, Air France, Alaska Airlines, and British Airways.
In contrast, Leo is scheduled to begin with only two airline contracts: JetBlue Airways, which expects to implement the service in 2027, and Delta Air Lines, which will do so in 2028. To achieve broad coverage in the United States and other markets, Amazon estimates it will need several years and the launch of thousands of additional satellites.
The strategy includes direct-to-device internet, reinforced by the acquisition of Globalstar for coverage in 120 countries.
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A fast-growing market with fierce competition
The satellite internet business promises to become one of the great technological trends of the next decade. Grand View Research estimates that the sector will grow by 15% annually until 2033, going from 13.3 billion dollars in 2026 to 35.7 billion in 2033.
The emergence of new networks like Leo represents a direct threat to traditional fixed internet providers, such as Xfinity, Verizon Home Internet, and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. Hans Geerdes, a strategist at the firm CableLabs, maintains that “every fixed broadband operator should be worried,” as this new generation of satellite services promises to improve the economics and competitive aggressiveness in the sector.
Deployment strategy and technology
Leo‘s latest launch was carried out with the Atlas V rocket, concluding a series of eight successful missions. From now on, the company will use the Vulcan rocket, capable of carrying more satellites and accelerating the pace of deployment. The satellite internet market will grow to $35.7 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research.
Melissa Wuerl, director of launch systems, confirmed that Amazon has “hundreds of satellites ready to fly” at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and has scheduled nearly 100 missions at an estimated total cost of $82 billion. The goal for 2035 is to reach 7,727 satellites in orbit.
Both Leo and Starlink operate their satellites at an altitude of between 560 and 800 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, in what is known as Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This location allows for higher connection speeds and reduced launch and installation costs.
Amazon is also looking to position itself in the direct-to-device internet segment, where users will be able to connect their mobile phones or other devices directly to a satellite, without the need for terrestrial infrastructure. To strengthen this strategy, the company acquired Globalstar in April for $11.6 billion, a firm with coverage in more than 120 countries thanks to its own network of low-orbit satellites.
