Amazon Builds 1,000th Satellite, Says Space Internet Service Is Weeks Away
Amazon has built its 1,000th broadband satellite and claims its space internet service is just weeks away. The company has significantly increased its production rate, moving from building 27 satellites in six months to 27 per week. However, the number of satellites actually in orbit remains at 396, a shortfall that cost Amazon its spectrum priority in July.
Rajeev Badyal, who previously led Starlink before being fired by Elon Musk eight years ago, has returned to the space race. He told Ars Technica that Amazon is on the verge of launching its service on Vulcan, with an Arianespace flight scheduled to follow, and at least one more Vulcan launch expected this year.
Amazon transformed an empty 170,000-square-foot building in Kirkland, Washington, into a satellite production facility in just 15 months. They manufacture their propulsion systems in-house and have revolutionized space testing by adopting methods from consumer electronics, reducing testing times from weeks to hours. This has made them the second-largest satellite manufacturer globally, behind SpaceX.
Despite the impressive production rate, the number of satellites in orbit hasn't changed since July, with 396 still in operation. Delays in launches, including a nozzle fault with Vulcan and an explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn in May, have contributed to this gap.
This gap has had consequences for Amazon. They were required to have 1,616 satellites in orbit by July 30th but requested a two-year extension in January, citing a shortage of launch vehicles. The regulator granted the extension but stripped spectrum priority from satellites launched after that date, requiring them to avoid interfering with Starlink.
The FCC has stated that it will restore spectrum priority from October 2027 if Amazon proves it has the necessary hardware and launch manifests. A thousand finished satellites and two Vulcans standing vertical serve as evidence of their progress. A second-generation satellite is already in the design phase.
Europe is also playing a significant role in Amazon's plans. They have contracted rockets from Ariane 6 and have beta customers across Europe and Africa, including Vodafone and Vodacom, since April. The European Commission is taking steps to reserve specific airwaves for European operators, with the IRIS2 agreement signed in August targeting 2030 for service.