GoKawiilAmazon's Leo satellite network is facing delays, CEO Andy Jassy announced on Thursday. In a letter to shareholders (PDF), Jassy said the service is now expected to launch "mid-2026." He also said that companies such as Delta Airlines, JetBlue, AT&T, NASA and more have committed to using the service when it is available.
Amazon Leo (which stands for low Earth orbit) is a satellite communications network that aims to provide high-speed -- and affordable -- internet service around the world. If successful, it could be a prominent competitor to Elon Musk's SpaceX and its Starlink service. But to get there, Amazon will have to find a way to make up for lost time.
Currently, there are more than 10,000 SpaceX satellites in space. Amazon Leo has just under 250. Amazon is also currently facing a tight deadline from the Federal Communications Commission, which ordered the company to have around 1,600 satellites in space by July. Amazon has since formally asked for an extension until 2028, but the FCC has not yet announced its decision.
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Watch this: Amazon's Project Kuiper Internet Satellites Take Flight on ULA Rocket 04:18
Amazon Leo was expected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026, prior to this delay.
Jassy says in his letter that Leo "performance will be stronger (about six to eight times better on uplink, and two times better on downlink) than what customers have access to now," and adds that "this performance will come at a lower cost than alternatives."
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A representative for Amazon declined to comment further.