Amazon has announced that it will launch satellite Internet service in a matter of weeks. The company has already produced its 1,000th broadband satellite, a company spokesman said. The company now produces 27 satellites a week at its plant in Kirkland, Washington, although it took six months to produce the first 27 satellites.
Image source: Amazon
The head of the Amazon Leo project (formerly Project Kuiper), Rajeev Badyal, told the publication Ars Technicathat a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite launch on a Vulcan rocket will soon take place, followed by an Arianespace mission using an Ariane 6 rocket, and at least one more launch on a Vulcan rocket before the end of the year.
The company currently has 396 satellites in orbit, the number of which has not changed since July. Flights of the Vulcan rocket were grounded due to technical problems, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad in May. At the same time, about 100 launches have already been ordered from four operators.
Due to the backlog of satellite launches – according to the licensing agreement, there were 1,616 satellites in orbit by July 30, 2026 – the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revoked Amazon’s priority rights to use Ka-band and Ku-band frequencies for all satellites launched after that date. This means that the company’s satellites are required to give up airwaves to signals from Starlink satellites.
However, the FCC will return the priority right ahead of schedule from October 2027 if Amazon proves that the equipment has already been manufactured and launches are booked, Badyal said. To deploy the first generation Amazon Leo satellite constellation, 3,232 devices are required. 1,000 manufactured satellites and two Vulcan rockets ready for launch at launch pads are a strong argument for the company in favor of further interaction with the regulator. The second generation satellite project has already been submitted for approval and is under development.
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