Today marks the launch of the first Starlink V3 satellites, and Amazon is watching from the sideline as SpaceX sends them into orbit. The launch arrives at a time when Amazon’s own Leo satellites remain grounded.
The 26 new Starlink satellites will ride atop Starship, which SpaceX will try to put into Earth orbit for the first time. If it works, the mission will mark a major step for the company’s next-generation constellation. But the timing could not be worse for Amazon.
Amazon’s Leo Satellite Struggles
It has been 12 weeks since Amazon’s last successful Leo deployment. On July 2nd, 29 satellites flew into orbit aboard United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket. That brings Leo’s launched satellite total to 396.
That is far below the over 11,000 satellites that Starlink currently has in operation. It is also below the 552 Starlink satellites that have launched since July 2nd. The gap is stark.
Soon after the launch, Melissa Wuerl, who leads Amazon’s Leo launch systems program, said the company had already “a clear path to increase launch and deployment cadence.”. The event has not occurred yet.
The Rockets That Won’t Fly
Most of the issues stem from the rockets themselves. Vulcan, the replacement for the retiring Atlas V built by ULA, was taken off duty by the US Space Force back in February 2026, following a booster malfunction. The probe into what happened remains unresolved.
Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin holds a contract to launch Leo satellites, just as SpaceX does. The company’s New Glenn rocket has sat idle since its single launchpad was destroyed in May.
Arianespace Adds More Missions
Just last month, Amazon revealed that it had arranged six more launches with Arianespace’s A64 heavy-lift rocket. The number of contracted missions now stands at 24, up from 18.
Delays also affect these launches. A problem with an unspecified Ariane 6 component is expected to throw off the schedule for launches “for the remainder of 2026.”. Thirty-six Leo satellites were previously set to lift off aboard Ariane 64 in October. Those missions have since been removed from the European spaceport website.
The FCC Deadline Looms
A plain question emerges from the situation: What is the next date for Amazon to extend its Leo constellation?
The service is only in its early stages, and it has already received an extension for its FCC deadline to launch half of its planned 3,232 satellites. That extension came with a condition: the company needs to move quickly.
Before, Amazon stated that the nearly 400 satellites already up and running were sufficient to launch a restricted version of its internet service. Now, however, the “mid-2026” date set for when the service would become commercially available has come and gone without any announcement about what comes next.
It won’t be a matter of months; at the current pace, Leo’s global competition with Starlink won’t be serious for years.
| Rocket | Status |
|---|---|
| Atlas V | Grounded |
| Vulcan | Grounded |
| New Glenn | Grounded |
| Ariane 64 | Delayed |
The Comparison
Starship’s maiden orbital flight comes at a time when SpaceX is rolling out newer satellites. Amazon is attempting to close the gap, though its own launch providers keep falling short.
The distance between the two firms continues to widen. Starlink currently operates thousands of satellites, and the V3 launch taking place today will increase that number.
The rockets remain grounded. The satellites are in place, yet none of them will launch. Leo is still barely off the surface.
Amazon faces a reminder that launching satellites is about more than designing the hardware. Rockets also need to function, and at the moment none of its launch partners are doing so.
Source material: “SpaceX preps next-gen Starlink as Amazon’s competitor stalls,” The Verge.
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