Amazon rebrands Project Kuiper as Amazon Leo for satellite internet service

Seven years into development, Amazon has formally renamed its satellite internet program from Project Kuiper to Amazon Leo, signaling the transition from experimental phase to commercial deployment. The announcement came November 13, 2025, marking a milestone for a project that began with a handful of engineers and designs on paper.

The rebranding reflects Amazon's progress toward operational service delivery. According to Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Amazon Leo, the new name represents "a simple nod to the low Earth orbit satellite constellation that powers our network." The constellation currently operates more than 150 satellites following six successful launches, positioning the company to begin rolling out service once additional coverage and capacity reach target levels.

Amazon's satellite internet initiative launched with a straightforward objective: billions of people worldwide lack high-speed internet access, while millions of businesses, governments, and organizations operate without reliable connectivity. A low Earth orbit satellite constellation could bridge this gap and extend fast internet to areas beyond existing network reach.

The program adopted "Project Kuiper" as its code name, inspired by the Kuiper Belt asteroid ring in the outer solar system. That designation persisted through initial regulatory approvals, securing what Amazon described as the largest set of launch contracts in history, completing a successful prototype mission, and deploying the first production satellite batch earlier in 2025. Amazon has previously detailed its ambitious satellite deployment plans, aiming for more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit.

Technical infrastructure and antenna systems

Amazon developed three distinct customer terminal designs to serve different connectivity requirements. The Amazon Leo Nano measures 18 x 18 centimeters, weighs 1 kilogram, and delivers download speeds up to 100 Mbps. This compact terminal targets portable applications and travel scenarios where users need reliable connectivity on the move.

The Amazon Leo Pro provides mid-range performance. At 28 x 28 centimeters and 2.4 kilograms, it supports download speeds up to 400 Mbps. According to Amazon's specifications, this terminal handles simultaneous 4K streaming, gaming, and video calling for residential and business deployments.

Amazon Leo Ultra represents the high-end offering with download speeds reaching 1 Gbps. The unit measures 51 x 76 centimeters and weighs 19.5 kilograms. Amazon designed this terminal specifically for enterprise and government customers with demanding connectivity requirements, including support for thousands of IoT sensors and hundreds of HD cameras operating concurrently.

All three antenna models incorporate phased array technology designed in-house. Amazon claims the terminals represent the first commercial phased array antennas capable of gigabit speeds, though actual performance will vary based on geographic location, weather conditions, WiFi performance, plan availability, network congestion, and other operational factors.

Manufacturing capabilities and satellite production

Amazon now operates one of the planet's largest satellite production facilities. The company opened a 172,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Kirkland, Washington, in June 2024, specifically designed for satellite assembly. At peak capacity, the factory will produce up to five satellites daily, according to Amazon.

The manufacturing team developed new testing processes that reduced individual satellite test time from months to days. This acceleration proved essential for maintaining deployment schedules across the constellation. By June 2024, Amazon had hired more than 120 employees at the facility, progressing toward a goal of 200 high-skilled manufacturing positions.

The production infrastructure represents substantial investment in Washington state aerospace manufacturing. Amazon secured launch contracts for up to 83 missions when it announced "the largest commercial procurement of space launch services in history" in April 2022. These contracts span multiple launch providers and vehicle types to ensure deployment flexibility.

Customer partnerships and market positioning

Several major organizations have committed to Amazon Leo deployment. JetBlue, the New York-based airline, signed on to provide in-flight connectivity. L3Harris, a defense technology contractor, will utilize the service for government applications. DIRECTV Latin America and Sky Brasil joined as media distribution partners, while NBN Co., Australia's National Broadband Network operator, agreed to incorporate Amazon Leo into its infrastructure.

The partnerships demonstrate Amazon's strategy of working with established telecommunications and service providers rather than exclusively competing against them. According to Amazon's June 2024 announcement with DIRECTV Latin America, the collaboration aims to close the digital divide across multiple South American countries.

Amazon enters a satellite broadband market currently dominated by SpaceX's Starlink network, which has deployed thousands of satellites and serves over five million users across 125 countries. The satellite internet industry has expanded rapidly as a solution for high-speed access in remote areas where traditional fiber and cellular infrastructure proves impractical or prohibitively expensive.

Vodafone Group Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle previously stated that work with the then-named Project Kuiper would "provide mobile connectivity to many of the estimated 40% of the global population without internet access, supporting remote communities, their schools and businesses, the emergency services, and disaster relief."

Integration with AWS infrastructure

Amazon plans to integrate its satellite network with Amazon Web Services infrastructure. According to Rajeev Badyal in earlier statements about the project, "By using AWS to support the Kuiper network, we can offer our business customers even more choice and flexibility and help tailor performance to their use cases."

This integration particularly benefits government customers requiring secure access to sensitive datasets stored in AWS GovCloud. The combination of satellite connectivity and cloud computing infrastructure creates potential for applications requiring both ubiquitous network access and substantial computational resources.

The AWS integration distinguishes Amazon's approach from competitors focused primarily on consumer internet access. By targeting business and government customers with specific cloud computing requirements, Amazon Leo positions itself in market segments where higher service costs align with customer budgets and operational needs.

Regulatory status and deployment timeline

The customer terminals have not yet received Federal Communications Commission authorization required for commercial sale or lease. According to Amazon's disclaimer, "These devices are not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained."

Amazon plans to begin service rollout once additional coverage and capacity reach operational thresholds. The company has not specified exact launch dates for commercial availability. With more than 150 satellites currently orbiting, the constellation remains in active deployment phase as Amazon continues building toward its 3,200-satellite target.

The Federal Communications Commission granted Amazon initial approval for the constellation in July 2020. At that time, Amazon announced plans to invest more than $10 billion in the project, reflecting the substantial capital requirements for satellite network deployment.

Technical specifications and performance parameters

Speed metrics disclosed by Amazon are based on limited preliminary testing and carry no guarantees. Actual performance will vary by multiple factors including geographic location, weather conditions, WiFi performance, plan availability, network congestion, network policies, and other variables.

The terminals operate using phased array antenna technology, which electronically steers radio frequency beams without mechanical movement. This approach enables rapid satellite tracking as the constellation moves across the sky at orbital velocities. Amazon developed this technology internally rather than licensing existing designs.

All three terminal models include weather-resistant housings designed for outdoor installation. The specifications indicate compatibility with harsh environmental conditions, though Amazon has not published detailed temperature ranges, precipitation tolerances, or wind load ratings.

Market implications for digital advertising and connectivity

The satellite internet market expansion carries implications for digital advertising reach and measurement. As connectivity extends to previously unserved areas, potential audiences for digital campaigns grow geographically. This expansion affects market sizing calculations for advertising platforms and creates opportunities for campaigns targeting rural and remote populations.

Reliable high-speed internet access enables bandwidth-intensive advertising formats including video and interactive creative. Regions currently served by limited connectivity often receive text-heavy or low-resolution advertising due to network constraints. Satellite broadband removes this technical limitation, potentially equalizing creative format distribution between urban and rural markets.

The business and government focus of Amazon Leo's partnership strategy suggests initial deployment will emphasize commercial and institutional customers over residential subscribers. This prioritization affects near-term advertising implications, as business connectivity primarily supports productivity applications rather than consumer media consumption.

Amazon's integration of satellite connectivity with AWS infrastructure creates potential for edge computing applications in advertising technology. Campaign delivery, creative optimization, and measurement systems could leverage satellite backhaul combined with local AWS computing resources to reduce latency in data processing and decision-making.

Timeline

• 2018: Amazon initiated satellite internet program with small engineering team under Project Kuiper code name
• July 2020: Federal Communications Commission granted initial approval for constellation; Amazon announced $10 billion investment commitment
• April 2022: Amazon secured launch contracts for up to 83 missions, described as largest commercial space launch procurement in history
• June 2024: Amazon opened 172,000-square-foot satellite manufacturing facility in Kirkland, Washington, with capacity for five satellites daily at peak production
• June 2024: Amazon announced partnership with DIRECTV Latin America for South American deployment
• Early 2025: Amazon deployed first full batch of production satellites
• April 9, 2025: Amazon scheduled first full-scale launch of 27 satellites aboard United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket
• November 13, 2025: Amazon announced rebrand from Project Kuiper to Amazon Leo; constellation reached 150+ satellites in orbit following sixth successful launch

Summary

Who: Amazon, led by Rajeev Badyal as Vice President of Amazon Leo, developed the satellite internet network. Customer partners include JetBlue, L3Harris, DIRECTV Latin America, Sky Brasil, and NBN Co.

What: Amazon rebranded its Project Kuiper satellite internet service to Amazon Leo and announced deployment of more than 150 satellites. The service offers three terminal models delivering speeds from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps. The company developed phased array antenna technology and operates a major satellite production facility producing up to five satellites daily.

When: Amazon announced the rebrand November 13, 2025. The program began seven years earlier with a small engineering team. Amazon received FCC approval in July 2020, opened its manufacturing facility in June 2024, and conducted six successful satellite launches as of November 2025.

Where: The constellation operates in low Earth orbit. Amazon manufactures satellites in Kirkland, Washington. Service targets global coverage with particular focus on unserved and underserved communities worldwide. Initial partnerships cover markets including the United States, South America, and Australia.

Why: Amazon identified billions of people lacking high-speed internet access and millions of organizations operating without reliable connectivity. The satellite constellation aims to bridge this gap by extending fast internet to areas beyond existing network reach. Integration with AWS infrastructure targets business and government customers requiring combined connectivity and cloud computing capabilities.