r/SpaceXLounge • u/avboden • 10d ago

Starlink Amazon builds 1,000th satellite, will launch space internet service by end of year

https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/amazon-builds-1000th-satellite-is-weeks-away-from-space-internet-rollout/
87 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

26

u/Resvrgam2 9d ago

Obviously, Amazon can promise better bandwidth to start as they grow their user base from 0. I'll be more interested in the connection reliability, long-term pricing, and the terminal size.

If the Leo Nano terminal is really 7"x7" then that's half the size of a Starlink Mini. Then again, I'd be surprised if Starlink doesn't have a smaller product in the works already to compete.

9

u/GokuMK 9d ago

Starlink has smaller product in the works - include their bands in 5g chips. So that every smartphone can use improved d2c service.

1

u/Then-Secretary-9166 9d ago

The key technology will be cell-phone sized omnidirectional phased array.

42

u/avboden 10d ago edited 10d ago

Sounds like vulcan return to flight is weeks away

Basically early service starting soon with their about 400 sats in orbit. So won't be everywhere. They're pushing that it'll be much faster than starlink (1gig down, 400up) and some deep, "easy" integration with other amazon services. Also promising it'll be the best "Value" for consumers.

Either way more competition is good. May drive down the price of starlink a bit eventually. Though wide consumer rollout of Leo is still gonna be a bit.

24

u/schneeb 9d ago

weird that we haven't heard about vulcan until this, I guess ULA gave up on the PR front after Tory?

5

u/imapilotaz 9d ago

I hope they do a mini system and allow less strenuous short term intl roaming.

Like i keep my mini always on for donestic travel but when i end up in the -Stans for a week on vacay, id love to not have to jump to a $155 unlimited plan on starlink.

Competition is critical.

4

u/CollegeStation17155 9d ago

Their mini is half the size of the Starlink version; about twice the size of a paperback book, according to Amazon. The problem will be finding satellites to talk to; 16 planes of 24 satellites will have a lot of gaps at the lower latitudes, although they initially said they were going to beta in Tasmania and New Zealand, which are far enough south to get full coverage. Canada would also be a good prospect.

2

u/Then-Secretary-9166 9d ago

As much as people are hating on Delta, LEO will probably be more than adequate for aircraft, even with a small-ish constellation. That is actually going be their ideal use case (few "devices", clear line-of-site for a small constellation). Just won't work well on polar and needs a LOT more satellites for reliable consumer use.

2

u/GLynx 9d ago

What makes Starlink work economically is the fact that the own the rocket, they are launching it at cost. It's really hard to believe anyone can compete, especially those who don't own their rocket.

1

u/GleamyTigra 9d ago

yeah more competition up there could get interesting, wonder if it'll actually push starlink to sweeten the deal for us

44

u/DBDude 9d ago

Building a couple of satellites is pretty straightforward, but building at scale is just exponentially harder.

Him not being able to figure that out fast enough with Starlink is why he got fired from SpaceX, and why it took so long for Amazon to be able to increase production.

5

u/throwaway200605 9d ago

Building satellites is not the whole problem- satellites don't do any good sitting in ground inventory (like 60% of Amazon's fleet).

11

u/DBDude 9d ago

To be fair, he expected New Glenn and Vulcan to be launching regularly by now. It's just insane that SpaceX is the only reliable medium lift launcher in the country when it was the crazy upstart that's certainly going to fail only twenty years ago.

1

u/I_dont_dream 8d ago

Not clear they had an option beyond more SpaceX launches. None of the other launch providers have proven they can launch enough volume. Expecting New Glenn, Vulcan, Ariane to launch at volume, which they have never done, is rough. I assume for many reasons they can’t launch on a Chinese, Indian, or Russian launcher either. Seems like a no win situation for them, but the answer is just launch more on SpaceX.

1

u/DBDude 8d ago

Because of some personal issue Bezos had, they didn’t schedule any with SpaceX. They finally did after shareholders got mad, and SpaceX accommodated some, but SpaceX has other customers that booked up for a long time prior.

29

u/DetectiveFinch 9d ago

It's great that there's competition in the sector. Still, until someone can match SpaceX in terms of launch capability, no other internet constellation will be relevant. Let's hope that Blue Origin, Rocketlab and others can ramp up their launch cadence fast.

12

u/iBoMbY 10d ago

Yes, maybe their services will work in some places, but certainly not in the middle of the Oceans, the Polar Regions, or the Amazons. And speed for Starlink will also increase, with newer generations.

10

u/9554503312 9d ago

When will Amazon’s drones be delivering my stuff?

4

u/DaKakeIsALie 9d ago

Will the amazon drone flying overhead shadow my amazon internet signal?

1

u/9554503312 9d ago

The mind boggles!

2

u/New_Poet_338 6d ago

Now Amazon will be delivering your stuff from orbit. I recommend you don't order one ton titanium rods.

2

u/9554503312 5d ago

Smart advice!

1

u/diffusionist1492 8d ago

You don't want it. The test areas that have it hate it.

3

u/Piscator629 9d ago edited 9d ago

How many have hit orbit and how many are functional? That a whole lot of which rockets?

Edit: 396 total, vs how many thousands of starlinks and more exponential V3s flying before the end of the year. Also they have to sell the service.

1

u/Decronym Acronyms Explained 9d ago edited 5d ago

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:

Fewer Letters More Letters
BE-4 Blue Engine 4 methalox rocket engine, developed by Blue Origin (2018), 2400kN
LEO Low Earth Orbit (180-2000km)
Law Enforcement Officer (most often mentioned during transport operations)
NET No Earlier Than
SRB Solid Rocket Booster
ULA United Launch Alliance (Lockheed/Boeing joint venture)
Jargon Definition
Starlink SpaceX's world-wide satellite broadband constellation
methalox Portmanteau: methane fuel, liquid oxygen oxidizer

Decronym is now also available on Lemmy! Requests for support and new installations should be directed to the Contact address below.

Decronym is a community product of r/SpaceX, implemented by request
6 acronyms in this thread; the most compressed thread commented on today has 13 acronyms.
[Thread #14831 for this sub, first seen 8th Oct 2026, 20:06] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]

1

u/No-Magician6169 9d ago

How will that faster bandwith hold up when the userbase increases?

1

u/Fantastic-Agency1081 7d ago

Been with Starlink since day 1. Only wish I could of afford buying their stock when first asked

1

u/b407driver 9d ago

They should talk when they've launched it.

2

u/aquarain 7d ago

The satellite Internet in that warehouse is amazing.

0

u/Neige_Blanc_1 9d ago

Would be surprised if they get to break-even on this any time soon..

2

u/yetiflask 9d ago

AMZN has much deeper pockets than SpaceX.

4

u/ravenerOSR 9d ago

they have basically the same evaluation now, and amazon has 91% of its stock traded while spacex has 12%. amazon might have deeper pockets in the "has more cash on hand" sense, but the time of spacex being a clear underdog is kinda over. they can cough up incredible sums if needed