The Federal Communications Commission has granted Amazon relief from its obligation to launch the initial 1,616 satellites for its Amazon Leo satellite internet constellation by the end of July.
This approaching deadline was originally set as part of the FCC’s licensing approval in 2020 for what was then called Project Kuiper. However, Amazon submitted a request in January seeking a two-year postponement, pointing to constrained availability of commercial rocket launches.
Rather than extending the July interim milestone, the FCC opted to issue a conditional waiver. Amazon must still comply with the original mandate requiring deployment of its complete fleet of 3,232 Gen 1 satellites by July 2029.
SpaceX, which runs the competing Starlink satellite broadband service serving over 10 million customers, objected to providing Amazon additional time. The company contended that the FCC should require Amazon to wait for a subsequent license processing cycle before authorizing additional satellite launches. However, in a filing released on Friday, the FCC stated its solution was “tailored to ensure that Americans quickly benefit from multiple, facilities-based providers of next-gen satellite services.”
According to the terms of the conditional waiver, Amazon Leo satellites deployed after the July 30 deadline would temporarily forfeit their priority designation. This means Amazon assumes the regulatory responsibility for confirming its newer satellites will not create interference with other satellite networks, including Starlink.
Amazon has the opportunity to regain its priority designation in March 2028, or earlier if the company achieves the 50% deployment target ahead of schedule. The order additionally contains a clause allowing priority status restoration in October 2027 if Amazon can demonstrate it has produced all required hardware and completely secured the necessary launch contracts to reach that 50% threshold.
Amazon continues to face a demanding timeline to satisfy its ultimate milestone. The company has booked numerous launches across various rocket platforms, including United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 and Vulcan vehicles, Arianespace’s Ariane 6, and SpaceX’s Falcon 9. Amazon has also been relying on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin aerospace company to transport Amazon Leo satellites aboard its New Glenn rocket. However, two weeks ago, a New Glenn vehicle exploded on its Florida launch platform during a static-fire engine test, likely forcing several months of postponement in Blue Origin’s launch operations.