ISLAMABAD, July 16 — The space race between Amazon and SpaceX is intensifying, with both companies facing strict regulatory deadlines and an increasingly public legal battle over orbital real estate. Amazon must deploy half of its Project Kuiper satellite constellation by 2026 and the full system by 2029. SpaceX, meanwhile, faces its own timeline: half of its second-generation Starlink satellites must be in orbit by 2024, with the complete constellation required by 2026.
These are not merely corporate targets. They are conditions set by the Federal Communications Commission, the US regulator that grants permission for companies to operate large satellite networks.
Missing these milestones could jeopardise each company’s license. The legal disputes between the two firms have grown as heated as the race itself. SpaceX has filed formal objections with the FCC over Amazon’s orbital slot plans for Project Kuiper.
Amazon has responded in kind, challenging SpaceX’s second-generation Starlink license. In 2021, Amazon took the fight a step further, filing a lawsuit against the FCC over modifications made to Starlink’s license.
That case underscored how deeply the competition over space-based internet has cut into the relationship between the two companies.
Launch contracts and a notable exclusion
The rivalry extends well beyond regulatory filings. When Amazon needed launch providers for Project Kuiper, it awarded contracts to United Launch Alliance, Arianespace, and Blue Origin — the space company founded by Amazon’s own Jeff Bezos. Conspicuously absent from that list: SpaceX.
The decision was strategic. SpaceX not only builds and launches Starlink satellites but also offers commercial launch services.
Amazon chose to work with competitors rather than its direct rival, a move that reflects the depth of the corporate divide. For its part, SpaceX continues to expand Starlink’s capabilities. The company announced a direct-to-cell service in 2022, aiming to connect standard mobile phones directly to its satellites without requiring specialised equipment.
What to watch next
Project Kuiper’s beta service is expected in 2024, which would mark the first real-world test of Amazon’s system against Starlink’s already operational network. Whether Amazon can meet its 2026 deployment deadline — and resolve its legal disputes with SpaceX — will determine how quickly consumers see a second major option for satellite broadband.
Sources
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