SpaceX Wants to Launch 1 Million Satellites. Amazon Says No. The FCC Says Mind Your Business.

TLDR

• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr publicly criticized Amazon for opposing SpaceX’s plan to launch up to 1 million satellites
• Carr said Amazon will fall roughly 1,000 satellites short of its own upcoming deployment deadline
• Amazon filed a petition asking the FCC to reject SpaceX’s application, calling it a “lofty ambition rather than a real plan”
• SpaceX’s Starlink currently has around 9,000–10,000 satellites in orbit and roughly 6–9 million customers
• Amazon has launched over 200 satellites so far and requested a 24-month extension to meet its 1,600-satellite deployment deadline

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr took aim at Amazon on Wednesday, saying the company should fix its own satellite problems before criticizing SpaceX.

Carr made the comments after Amazon’s satellite unit, Amazon Leo, filed a petition with the FCC urging the agency to reject a SpaceX application. That application would allow SpaceX to launch a constellation of up to 1 million low Earth orbit satellites.

Amazon has invested more than $10 billion in its satellite internet effort. The service, now called Amazon Leo and previously known as Kuiper, has sent up at least 200 satellites since last April.

In January, Amazon asked the FCC for a waiver or 24-month extension to push its deadline to July 2028. The company was originally required to deploy around 1,600 satellites by July 2026. Amazon blamed rocket shortages and manufacturing disruptions for the delays.

Amazon’s Concerns About SpaceX’s Proposal

Amazon’s petition raised several concerns. It said granting SpaceX’s request would force other satellite operators to plan around a constellation that “may never exist.” It also said the plan risks worsening international backlash from regulators worried about monopolization of space resources.

Scientists have also raised concerns about the SpaceX proposal. Critics have cited light pollution, orbital debris, and the risk of “Kessler syndrome” — a chain reaction of debris that could make low Earth orbit unusable.

SpaceX said its planned constellation would orbit Earth and use solar power to run AI data centers in space.

The FCC has not yet approved SpaceX’s request. However, Carr said he does not expect Amazon’s petition to “get much traction.”

Where Starlink Stands Today

Starlink currently operates roughly 9,000 to 10,000 satellites in orbit. It serves more than 6 million customers across at least 140 countries. The FCC approved an additional 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites in January, adding direct-to-cell connectivity outside the United States.

The FCC last month also approved a separate Amazon petition to deploy 4,500 satellites, which would more than double the size of its current constellation.

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