Amazon to begin LEO internet service as network nears 400 satellites

Amazon expects to roll out its initial broadband internet service through its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network later this year after its latest launch increased the constellation's satellite count to nearly 400, marking a key milestone in the company's space-based internet ambitions.
According to agency reports,the company's latest batch of 29 satellites lifted off from Florida early Thursday aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. The mission marked Amazon's 14th launch as part of its plan to deploy more than 3,200 satellites to provide global internet coverage from space.Following the launch, Chris Weber, head of Amazon's LEO programme, said the company has completed enough launches to begin initial internet service later this year."Still lots of work ahead – including raising all these new satellites to their assigned altitude. But we've completed enough launches for initial service this year, and future missions just add coverage and capacity," Weber said in a post on X.Weber did not specify where Amazon would first launch the service. However, initial coverage is expected to begin near the Earth's north and south poles before gradually expanding toward the equator as more satellites are deployed.

Last few launches were big for @AmazonLeo - bringing us to 390+ satellites deployed, enough to support continuous service across initial latitudes.

Still lots of work ahead – including raising all these new satellites to their assigned altitude – but we’ve completed enough… pic.twitter.com/UZb404fXRq

— Chris Weber (@Weber44Chris) July 2, 2026

According to spaceflight analyst and Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell, Amazon has 394 satellites in orbit out of 398 launched since April 2025.The growing LEO constellation is emerging as a rival to SpaceX's Starlink, which currently operates around 10,000 satellites. Like Starlink, Amazon plans to provide internet connectivity to consumers through dedicated user terminals, as well as to governments, businesses and airlines.
Amazon has been targeting a mid-2026 launch of the service while relying on multiple rocket providers to deploy its satellite network. So far, ULA's Atlas V has become the primary launch vehicle as other rockets in Amazon's deployment plan remain grounded.Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket has been grounded after an explosion on its launch pad last month destroyed the launch tower and other infrastructure. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said the company expects to resume New Glenn launches by the end of the year after engineers complete their investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, ULA's Vulcan rocket, which is scheduled to carry at least 40 missions for Amazon's LEO network, also remains grounded following a solid rocket motor separation issue encountered in February. ULA said it is working closely with Blue Origin to determine whether the two rockets' shared BE-4 engines played any role in the New Glenn explosion.
Amazon has booked around 100 rocket launches, valued at an estimated $82 billion, to build out its satellite network. In addition to ULA and Blue Origin, the company has secured launch services from Arianespace and SpaceX as it continues expanding its global internet constellation.