Amazon Leo, the rising low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite tv for pc platform that may present connectivity to each residential and industrial clients, claims to have its preliminary service launch in sight. Nonetheless, the precise timing stays considerably squishy.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy declared in Might that Amazon Leo was focusing on a “mid-2026” service launch, an replace that got here a couple of weeks after one other Amazon exec stated the preliminary launch was “months away.”
As we head into the second half of the 12 months, it is nonetheless not clear precisely when Amazon Leo’s industrial service debut will happen, but it surely’s evidently nonetheless on observe to occur later in 2026.
Amazon Leo introduced final week it had deployed 396 satellites, an replace that got here on the heels of launch companion United Launch Alliance (ULA) efficiently deploying 29 extra Amazon Leo satellites on July 2. Amazon Leo stated it marked the final mission for its launch marketing campaign with ULA’s Atlas V rocket.
The subsequent Amazon Leo mission with ULA will use the brand new, heavy-lift Vulcan rocket, which is able to delivering 40-plus satellites into low-Earth orbit. That can allow Amazon Leo to launch bigger payloads and increase its deployment fee.
(Supply: Amazon Leo)Â
“Atlas V has performed a crucial function within the early deployment section for Amazon Leo, launching 224 satellites with a 100% success fee throughout all eight missions, and we’re excited to construct on that basis with ULA as we transition to Vulcan,” Melissa Wuerl, Amazon Leo’s director of launch methods, stated in an announcement. “With a whole bunch of flight-ready satellites standing by on the Cape and a brand new, devoted vertical integration facility able to assist Leo Vulcan 1 and subsequent missions, we’ve got a transparent path to extend launch and deployment cadence, serving to us shortly develop community protection following an preliminary service rollout later this 12 months.”
Final week’s launches present sufficient satellites “to assist steady service throughout preliminary latitudes,” Chris Weber, the lead exec for Amazon Leo’s shopper, enterprise and authorities companies, stated on X. “Nonetheless numerous work forward – together with elevating all these new satellites to their assigned altitude – however we have accomplished sufficient launches for preliminary service this yr, and future missions simply add protection and capability.”
Amazon Leo, which is serving beta clients, has not introduced pricing plans for its coming residential and business-class providers and the place these providers will initially be accessible. It already has contracts with JetBlue and Delta Airways and just lately signed a cope with AT&T to supply connectivity to enterprise clients.
Amazon Leo is working with a number of companions for its satellite tv for pc launches, together with ULA, Arianespace and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin. Blue Origin’s heavy-duty New Glenn rocket, which just lately had a setback when one exploded throughout a prelaunch check, may also assist Amazon Leo to spice up its launch cadence… finally.
Replace follows latest FCC reduction
Amazon Leo’s launch plans just lately obtained a level of reduction when the FCC authorised a 24-month extension on the primary half of Amazon Leo’s satellite tv for pc constellation, which finally will span 3,236 LEO satellites. Amazon Leo obtained the extension on the primary half whereas retaining its 100% deployment milestone of July 30, 2029.
When Amazon Leo put in its unique request for an extension, it anticipated to deploy about 700 satellites by the top of July 2026.Â
Amazon’s satellite tv for pc ambitions are additionally increasing via acquisition. In April, Amazon minimize a deal to amass Globalstar for about $11.6 billion. The transaction is anticipated to shut in 2027 because it makes its manner via the evaluation course of. Petitions to disclaim the deal are due on the FCC as we speak (July 6).
As soon as closed, the deal will allow Amazon Leo to speed up its growth into the direct-to-device (D2D) enviornment, achieve a key shopper in Apple, and convey extra competitors to Starlink, which is growing a next-gen D2D providing alongside its baseline broadband service enterprise.Â
Amazon Leo stated its coming D2D system – presently slated for a 2028 launch – will likely be supported by its current Gen 1 satellites in addition to future generations of its LEO satellites.
