SpaceX preps next-gen Starlink as Amazon’s competitor stalls

SpaceX is gearing up for a monumental escape today that’s certain to be closely watched by Amazon. If successful, SpaceX volition deploy its archetypal Starlink V3 satellites, which tout meaningful upgrades to the ever-expanding Starlink constellation. The 26 satellites volition be riding atop Starship, which SpaceX volition additionally attempt to deploy into Earth orbit for the archetypal time. The goal arrives amid Amazon’s ongoing setbacks alongside initiate partners that are keeping its own Leo satellites grounded, and falling additional rearward its scheme to recommendation a meaningful competitor to Elon Musk’s area net service.

It’s been dozen weeks since Amazon’s last prosperous Leo deployment alongside 29 satellites carried into orbit aboard United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V missile on July 2nd. That brings Leo’s launched moon total to 396 — far below the complete 11,000 satellites that Starlink currently has in operation, or equal the 552 Starlink satellites that have launched since July 2nd. Following its final launch, Amazon Leo initiate systems director Melissa Wuerl said that the business had “a apparent way to addition initiate and deployment cadence,” but that evidently hasn’t happened.

Issues blighting Leo’s initiate partners are mostly to accuse for the setbacks. Vulcan, ULA’s successor to the shortly retiring Atlas V missile that Amazon has relied on, has been restricted by the US Space Force since February 2026 following a booster anomaly that’s motionless under investigation. Blue Origin, the area business owned by Amazon originator Jeff Bezos, is likewise contracted to initiate Leo satellites, but its New Glenn missile has additionally been restricted since its lone launchpad was destroyed in May.

Earlier this month, Amazon announced that it had ordered six additional launches for Arianespace’s A64 dense lift rocket, bringing its total contracted launches from 18 to 24. This is additionally facing delays, however, following issues alongside an unspecified Ariane 6 component that’s expected to disrupt launches “for the remainder of 2026.” 36 Leo satellites were earlier expected to initiate aboard Ariane 64 in October, but those missions have since been scrubbed from the European spaceport website.

All of this begs the question: whenever volition Amazon next develop its Leo constellation? The assistance is lone in its first stages and has already received an extension for its FCC deadline to initiate fractional of its planned 3,232 satellites, which came alongside the circumstance that the business needs to move quickly. Amazon earlier stated that the nearly 400 satellites it has functioning are adequate to toggle on a constricted type of its net service, but the “mid-2026” deadline it set for business preparedness has passed alongside no update. At this rate, it’ll be years before Leo can earnestly vie alongside Starlink globally.