Satellite Operators Ramp Up Launch Schedule

This year’s SATShow 2026 in Washington, D.C. delivered a clear takeaway: more satellites are heading into orbit at an increasingly rapid pace. Mega-constellations are advancing quickly, with companies striving to send thousands of satellites to different Earth orbits, Via Satellite reported. To wit, SpaceX initially planned in 2019 to create a Starlink network of 42,000 low Earth orbit satellites by 2030, but in January 2026, it requested regulatory approval to launch up to one million satellites.

Amazon Leo is Amazon’s (NASDAQ: AMZN) LEO satellite network, aiming to deliver fast, low-latency internet globally through compact earth terminals. The constellation supports Amazon Web Services (AWS) edge computing, IoT, and AI, with download speeds up to 1 Gbps. Although it lags Starlink in deployment, Amazon Leo is leveraging AWS for enterprise solutions as a distinct competitive advantage.

When Amazon Leo’s initial plan was approved, the FCC required that the company launch 1,618 satellites, half of its planned constellation, by July 2026 to start beta service. The complete constellation of 3,236 satellites is to be fully operational by July 2029. With a deadline approaching, Amazon asked the FCC for an extension, stating it expects to have at least 700 satellites in orbit by the first milestone due to limited launch windows in the near term.

Amazon Leo is accelerating the fabrication of its satellites, with its Kirkland, WA, facility capable of building up to 30 satellites weekly, according to Via Satellite. Even as it faces launch delays and spectrum issues, Amazon Leo recorded 11 launches last year, more than any other constellation in its first year. The company reported that it has contracts for over 100 launches, expects 20-plus this year with four providers: Arianespace, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin.

As of February, Amazon Leo has 212 satellites in orbit. The company says it is looking at multiple ways to accelerate its launch sequence.

Amazon Leo has signed telecom agreements with Vodafone (NASDAQ: VOD) and Vodacom in Europe and Africa, AT&T (NYSE: T) in the U.S. and Australia’s NBN Co to provide satellite backhaul and broadband services. 

By John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor