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

Amazon leo is struggling to get off the ground.

Amazon leo is struggling to get off the ground.

by

Jess Weatherbed

Sep 28, 2026, 12:09 PM UTC

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images

Jess Weatherbed

is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.

SpaceX is gearing up for a monumental flight today that’s sure to be closely watched by Amazon. If successful, SpaceX will deploy its firstStarlink V3 satellites, which tout meaningful upgrades to the ever-expanding Starlink constellation. The 26 satellites will be riding atop Starship, which SpaceX will also attempt to deploy into Earth orbit for the first time. The mission arrives amid Amazon’s ongoing setbacks with launch partners that are keeping its own Leo satellites grounded, and falling further behind its plan to offer a meaningful rival to Elon Musk’s space internet service.

It’s been twelve weeks since Amazon’slast successful Leo deploymentwith 29 satellites carried into orbit aboard United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V rocket on July 2nd. That brings Leo’s launched satellite total to 396 — far below the over 11,000 satellites that Starlink currently has in operation, or even the552 Starlink satellitesthat have launched since July 2nd. Following its last launch, Amazon Leo launch systems directorMelissa Wuerl saidthat the company had “a clear path to increase launch and deployment cadence,” but that evidently hasn’t happened.

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Issues blighting Leo’s launch partners are largely to blame for the setbacks. Vulcan, ULA’s successor to the soon retiring Atlas V rocket that Amazon has relied on, has been grounded by the US Space Forcesince February 2026following a booster anomaly that’s still under investigation. Blue Origin, the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is similarly contracted to launch Leo satellites, but its New Glenn rocket has also been groundedsince its only launchpad was destroyedin May.

This shows the planned lineup of Amazon Leo’s launch partner vehicles, with most now grounded or retired.

Image: Amazon

Earlier this month, Amazon announced that it had ordered six additional launches forArianespace’s A64 heavy lift rocket, bringing its total contracted launches from 18 to 24. This is also facing delays, however, followingissues with an unspecified Ariane 6 componentthat’s expected todisrupt launches“for the remainder of 2026.” 36 Leo satellites were previously expected to launch aboard Ariane 64 in October, but those missions have since been scrubbed from theEuropean spaceport website.

All of this begs the question: when will Amazon next expand its Leo constellation? The service is only in its early stages and has already received anextension for its FCC deadlineto launch half of its planned 3,232 satellites, which came with the condition that the company needs to move quickly. Amazon previously said that the almost 400 satellites it has in operation are enough to switch on a limited version of its internet service, but the “mid-2026” deadline it set for commercial availability has passed with no update. At this rate,it’ll be yearsbefore Leo can seriously compete with Starlink globally.

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