Amazon Leo, Starlink’s new rival, to enter service in mid-2026

Amazon’s Leo constellation, Starlink’s new rival, is expected to enter service in mid-2026. Once operational, it is set to offer three main advantages over comparable services.

Amazon has been developing its Leo constellation for years, with the aim of providing a satellite connectivity service similar to Starlink. Although it had originally been due to go live at the start of the year, Amazon’s CEO has now formally acknowledged that the rollout has been delayed. In his letter to shareholders, Andy Jassy said that Amazon Leo is now scheduled to launch in mid-2026.

The letter does not give a reason for the postponement, but it is likely linked to the shortage of launch opportunities the company has faced. As covered in an earlier article, Amazon is manufacturing satellites faster than it can send them into orbit. However, the e-commerce giant has already taken steps to increase the pace of its launches.

Amazon Leo: three advantages over Starlink-style services

Once Amazon Leo officially begins operating, the Starlink competitor is expected to have three key strengths. In his letter, Andy Jassy said Amazon Leo would deliver better performance than the services currently available to consumers. He referred to a connection that is “six to eight times more capable in the uplink, and twice as capable in the downlink”.

Price is expected to be its second advantage. Amazon’s chief executive said that these capabilities will be available at a lower cost than competing alternatives. Finally, Andy Jassy highlighted integration with the company’s cloud services, which should make data traffic flow more smoothly. “Leo will integrate seamlessly with AWS to enable businesses and public-sector organisations to exchange data for storage, analytics and artificial intelligence purposes”, he wrote.

Amazon Leo: not yet launched, but already attracting customers

Even though the constellation has not yet entered service, it has already attracted customers. Delta Air Lines, for example, plans to connect 500 aircraft to Amazon Leo in 2028. The Starlink rival has also formed partnerships with telecoms operators including AT&T and Vodafone.

More than 3,000 satellites planned for the first constellation

In practical terms, Amazon Leo should become a serious competitor to Starlink once its satellites have been deployed. For now, however, Amazon has only just passed the 200-satellite mark in orbit, while its first constellation is intended to operate more than 3,000 satellites.

To support its launch programme, the e-commerce giant has booked multiple missions with several partners, including SpaceX and Arianespace. A further Arianespace launch carrying Amazon satellites is currently being prepared.