A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Amazon’s Project Kuiper Internet Network satellite is shown preparing for liftoff at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, April 28, 2025.
Joe Skipper | Reuters
Amazon announced Monday that it will allow companies to test its recently rebranded internet service from space, aimed at competing with SpaceX’s Starlink.
The company said in a blog post that some businesses will be able to test Amazon Leo’s production hardware and software as part of an “enterprise preview” of the service “prior to its broader rollout.” The test program will allow Amazon to gather feedback and “tailor the solution for specific industries” before a broader rollout, the company said.
Earlier this month, Amazon changed the name of its satellite internet service from Project Kuiper to Amazon Leo and rolled out a new website to market the service. The name refers to low-Earth orbit, the region of space that lies within 1,200 miles of the Earth’s surface and is home to the Amazon’s constellation of satellites.
Six years ago, Amazon announced plans to build a constellation of 3,236 low-Earth satellites designed to provide consumers, businesses and governments with high-speed, low-latency internet and connectivity via square terminals.
Since April, the company has launched more than 150 satellites through a series of rocket launches carried out by partners including United Launch Alliance and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
It aims to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, which currently dominates the market and has about 9,000 satellites in orbit.
Amazon has deals with JetBlue, L3Harris and Australia’s NBN internet network, among others. Amazon said it is shipping units of “Pro” devices and “Ultra” antennas to members of its Enterprise Preview program.
The company unveiled the final production design of its Ultra model on Monday. The model is equipped with an in-house custom silicon chip and delivers download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second and upload speeds of up to 400 megabits per second, making it “the fastest commercial phased array antenna in mass production.”
Amazon said it plans to expand the program to more customers by adding coverage and capacity to the Leo network.
The company has not yet disclosed pricing and availability for consumers.
Spotlight: Amazon launches first Kuiper Internet satellite into space
