Online bookseller Amazon has manufactured its 1,000th broadband satellite as it prepares to launch its Leo internet service this year, giving Elon Musk’s Starlink its first serious global challenger.
According to Ars Technica the online retail giant has spent eight years developing its satellite broadband network, formerly known as Project Kuiper. Amazon Leo aims to deliver high-speed internet from low-Earth orbit to homes, businesses, airlines and governments, entering a market where Musk’s SpaceX has enjoyed a substantial head start.
Amazon reached the manufacturing milestone at its 170,000-square-foot factory in Kirkland, Washington, where production has accelerated considerably. The company initially needed six months to manufacture its first 27 satellites but can now churn out roughly the same number every week.
Unfortunately, building satellites and getting the things into orbit are two different problems. Amazon has manufactured more than 1,000 spacecraft but has launched only 396, leaving hundreds waiting for rides into space. The initial constellation will eventually require 3,232 satellites.
Amazon Leo vice president of business Chris Weber confirmed that the company intends to begin commercial service before the end of 2026. He said the existing orbital fleet should provide enough coverage for an initial rollout, although some spacecraft still need to reach their final operating positions.
The company hopes to accelerate deployment using United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, which is expected to carry Amazon satellites on its forthcoming return-to-flight mission. Another Vulcan launch is being prepared for later this year, while European rocket operator Arianespace is expected to contribute additional launches.
Amazon’s satellite operation is led by vice president of technology Rajeev Badyal, who previously headed SpaceX’s Starlink programme before Musk fired him in 2018. Badyal has since built a rival network for another billionaire.
The manufacturing operation has transformed Amazon into one of the world’s largest satellite producers, second only to SpaceX. Production director Paul Palcisco said the factory was designed to build satellites at scale, with automated testing and manufacturing processes helping reduce the time needed to produce each spacecraft.
Starlink remains comfortably ahead, with thousands of operational satellites and millions of customers worldwide. Amazon believes it can compete by offering high-speed connections to consumers and businesses, particularly in regions where traditional terrestrial broadband remains expensive or unavailable.
The company has already secured agreements involving aviation, telecommunications and government customers. Delta Air Lines plans to use Amazon Leo for in-flight connectivity beginning in 2028, while Amazon has been developing terminals capable of delivering gigabit-class speeds for demanding commercial applications.
Amazon has invested more than $10 billion in the programme, although delays in securing launch capacity have complicated its deployment timetable. The US Federal Communications Commission granted the company relief from an earlier deadline requiring it to deploy half its initial constellation by July 2026, while temporarily reducing the spectrum priority of later satellites.
For now, Amazon has enough hardware coming off its production lines to support a considerably larger network, but launch capacity remains the immediate bottleneck. Amazon expects its first commercial customers before the end of the year, with broader coverage depending on how quickly its rocket suppliers can move the remaining satellites to orbit.
