#amazon-leo — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #amazon-leo, aggregated by home.social.
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Amazon LEO D2C service is looking to put ~5,100 satellites into orbit with deployment starting in 2028.
On Sat. July 24/2026 (interesting) Amazon filed an FCC Form 312 Application for Satellite Space Station Authorizations for "Amazon Leo D2D System" described as "Mobile-Satellite Service, 1.6/2.4 GHz Mobile-Satellite Service, Fixed-Satellite Service" using the following radio frequency bands:
24c. L-Band (1-2 GHz)
24d. S-Band (2-3 GHz
24h. Ka-Band (17-30 GHz)
24i. Q/V-Band (35-75 GHz)"Kuiper Systems LLC requests authority to launch and operate a non-geostationary orbit satellite orbit system to deploy and operate mobile-satellite services." https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/27/amazon-satellite-internet-network.html
The request asks for 5,105 satellites
You can view the Form 312 and Attachments here: https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/icfs?id=ibfs_application_summary&number=SAT-LOA-20260601-00224 #Space #Amazon #AmazonLEO #Kuiper #Direct2Device #Direct2Cell #Mobile #MobilityServices #satellites #Non-GeoStationary #FCC -
Amazon LEO D2C service is looking to put ~5,100 satellites into orbit with deployment starting in 2028.
On Sat. July 24/2026 (interesting) Amazon filed an FCC Form 312 Application for Satellite Space Station Authorizations for "Amazon Leo D2D System" described as "Mobile-Satellite Service, 1.6/2.4 GHz Mobile-Satellite Service, Fixed-Satellite Service" using the following radio frequency bands:
24c. L-Band (1-2 GHz)
24d. S-Band (2-3 GHz
24h. Ka-Band (17-30 GHz)
24i. Q/V-Band (35-75 GHz)"Kuiper Systems LLC requests authority to launch and operate a non-geostationary orbit satellite orbit system to deploy and operate mobile-satellite services." https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/27/amazon-satellite-internet-network.html
The request asks for 5,105 satellites
You can view the Form 312 and Attachments here: https://fccprod.servicenowservices.com/icfs?id=ibfs_application_summary&number=SAT-LOA-20260601-00224 #Space #Amazon #AmazonLEO #Kuiper #Direct2Device #Direct2Cell #Mobile #MobilityServices #satellites #Non-GeoStationary #FCC -
Amazon plans 5,105 satellites for mobile connectivity
Amazon Leo has asked the Federal Communications Commission to approve its plan to launch up to 5,105 satellites capable of providing space-based connectivity for mobile devices.“Our plan is to start deploying in 2028, and we’re excited to work with part
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/07/27/amazon-plans-5105-satellites-for-mobile-connectivity/
#GeekWire #Amazon #AmazonLeo #Broadband #FCC #MobileDevices #ProjectKuiper #Satellites #Space -
Amazon plans 5,105 satellites for mobile connectivity
Amazon Leo has asked the Federal Communications Commission to approve its plan to launch up to 5,105 satellites capable of providing space-based connectivity for mobile devices.“Our plan is to start deploying in 2028, and we’re excited to work with part
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/07/27/amazon-plans-5105-satellites-for-mobile-connectivity/
#GeekWire #Amazon #AmazonLeo #Broadband #FCC #MobileDevices #ProjectKuiper #Satellites #Space -
Amazon Wants to Launch Mobile Service Powered by Satellites
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Amazon défie Starlink avec un projet de plus de 5 000 satellites
https://mac4ever.com/197326
#Mac4Ever #amazonleo #Starlink -
Amazon défie Starlink avec un projet de plus de 5 000 satellites
https://mac4ever.com/197326
#Mac4Ever #amazonleo #Starlink -
Amazon files application for direct-to-device satellite constellation
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Amazonin oma satelliittinetti lähenee ensimmäisen vaiheen valmistumista - ensimmäinen suora kilpailija Muskin StarLinkille
Alussa Amazon Leo tulee kattamaan toki vain pienen osan maapallosta, mutta yhtiö laajentaa satelliittiparveaan jatkuvasti.
https://dawn.fi/uutiset/2026/07/09/amazon-leo-satelliittinetti-etenee
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Amazonin oma satelliittinetti lähenee ensimmäisen vaiheen valmistumista - ensimmäinen suora kilpailija Muskin StarLinkille
Alussa Amazon Leo tulee kattamaan toki vain pienen osan maapallosta, mutta yhtiö laajentaa satelliittiparveaan jatkuvasti.
https://dawn.fi/uutiset/2026/07/09/amazon-leo-satelliittinetti-etenee
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#AmazonLeo now has more than 390 satellites 🛰️ in orbit.
#SpaceX has already launched more than 10,000 satellites for its #Starlink network, delivering nearly 1,600 Starlinks to orbit in the first half of 2026 https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/amazon-leo-space-internet-spacex-starlink-b3008105.html
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#AmazonLeo now has more than 390 satellites 🛰️ in orbit.
#SpaceX has already launched more than 10,000 satellites for its #Starlink network, delivering nearly 1,600 Starlinks to orbit in the first half of 2026 https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/amazon-leo-space-internet-spacex-starlink-b3008105.html
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Amazon Leo hits its mark for satellite internet service
Amazon says the overnight launch of 29 satellites should clear the way for its Amazon Leo network to start offering commercial high-speed internet service from space this year, in direct competition with SpaceX’s Starlink network.United Launch Alliance’s Atlas
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/07/02/amazon-leo-hits-its-mark-for-satellite-internet-service/
#GeekWire #AmazonLeo #Atlas5 #Broadband #Satellites #Space #UnitedLaunchAlliance -
Amazon Leo hits its mark for satellite internet service
Amazon says the overnight launch of 29 satellites should clear the way for its Amazon Leo network to start offering commercial high-speed internet service from space this year, in direct competition with SpaceX’s Starlink network.United Launch Alliance’s Atlas
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/07/02/amazon-leo-hits-its-mark-for-satellite-internet-service/
#GeekWire #AmazonLeo #Atlas5 #Broadband #Satellites #Space #UnitedLaunchAlliance -
#Amazon Leo says last night's launch keeps it on track to start phasing in commercial #satellite #internet service sometime in the next few months - posing a competitive challenge for the #SpaceX #Starlink network. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/amazon-leo-atlas-ula-launch-satellites/ #AmazonLeo #Space #Broadband
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#Amazon Leo says last night's launch keeps it on track to start phasing in commercial #satellite #internet service sometime in the next few months - posing a competitive challenge for the #SpaceX #Starlink network. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/amazon-leo-atlas-ula-launch-satellites/ #AmazonLeo #Space #Broadband
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Final Atlas 5 Amazon Leo mission launches
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://spacenews.com/final-atlas-5-amazon-leo-mission-launches/
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Ariane 6 launches 36 Amazon satellites into space.
The Ariane 6 lifted off on 17 June at 9:21 local time from launch pad Kourou in French Guiana. It carried 36 satellites from Amazon’s Leo satellite constellation into space, which were deployed about an hour later in the intended orbit.
The ESA has equipped the Ariane 6 with new boosters, allowing the rocket to transport four more satellites into space than before.
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Ariane 6 launches 36 Amazon satellites into space.
The Ariane 6 lifted off on 17 June at 9:21 local time from launch pad Kourou in French Guiana. It carried 36 satellites from Amazon’s Leo satellite constellation into space, which were deployed about an hour later in the intended orbit.
The ESA has equipped the Ariane 6 with new boosters, allowing the rocket to transport four more satellites into space than before.
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Destruída pelo fogo, Blue Origin reconstrói plataforma para disputar mercado com Starlink, de Musk
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#ArianeGroup:
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Arianespace startet erfolgreich 36 weitere Amazon-Leo-Satelliten an Bord einer Ariane 64 mit fortschrittlichen Boostern
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"Am 17. 6.2026 hat Arianespace m. d. Ariane 6 in ihrer Konfiguration mit vier Boostern, der Ariane 64, erfolgreich 36 Amazon-Leo-Satelliten von Europas Weltraumbahnhof in Französisch-Guayana aus gestartet. .."17.6.2026
#Amazon #AmazonLEO #Ariane6 #Arianespace #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #rocketry #SpaceFlight #VA269
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#ArianeGroup:
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Arianespace startet erfolgreich 36 weitere Amazon-Leo-Satelliten an Bord einer Ariane 64 mit fortschrittlichen Boostern
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"Am 17. 6.2026 hat Arianespace m. d. Ariane 6 in ihrer Konfiguration mit vier Boostern, der Ariane 64, erfolgreich 36 Amazon-Leo-Satelliten von Europas Weltraumbahnhof in Französisch-Guayana aus gestartet. .."17.6.2026
#Amazon #AmazonLEO #Ariane6 #Arianespace #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #rocketry #SpaceFlight #VA269
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#Arianespace:
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Arianespace successfully launches 36 additional Amazon Leo satellites with an Ariane 64 equipped with advanced boosters
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"On June 17, 2026, Arianespace successfully placed into orbit 36 satellites for Amazon Leo with an Ariane 64 equipped for the first time with four advanced solid-propellant P160C boosters. .."17.6.2026
#Amazon #AmazonLEO #Ariane6 #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #rocketry #SpaceFlight #VA269
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#Arianespace:
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Arianespace successfully launches 36 additional Amazon Leo satellites with an Ariane 64 equipped with advanced boosters
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"On June 17, 2026, Arianespace successfully placed into orbit 36 satellites for Amazon Leo with an Ariane 64 equipped for the first time with four advanced solid-propellant P160C boosters. .."17.6.2026
#Amazon #AmazonLEO #Ariane6 #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #rocketry #SpaceFlight #VA269
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#ArianeGroup:
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VA269: Launch-Kit und Start im Livestream
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"Am 17. Juni wird wieder eine Ariane 64 von Kourou aus in den Weltraum starten. Das Besondere: Noch nie gab es eine leistungsstärkere Ariane-Rakete und noch nie hat eine .. eine schwerere Nutzlast ins All gebracht. Insgesamt 36 Satelliten werden für Amazon Leo .. transportiert. .."https://www.ariane.group/de/news/va269-launch-kit-und-start-im-livestream/
#Amazon #AmazonLEO #Ariane6 #Arianespace #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #rocketry #SpaceFlight #VA269
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#ArianeGroup:
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VA269: Launch-Kit und Start im Livestream
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"Am 17. Juni wird wieder eine Ariane 64 von Kourou aus in den Weltraum starten. Das Besondere: Noch nie gab es eine leistungsstärkere Ariane-Rakete und noch nie hat eine .. eine schwerere Nutzlast ins All gebracht. Insgesamt 36 Satelliten werden für Amazon Leo .. transportiert. .."https://www.ariane.group/de/news/va269-launch-kit-und-start-im-livestream/
#Amazon #AmazonLEO #Ariane6 #Arianespace #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #rocketry #SpaceFlight #VA269
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FCC ratuje kosmiczny internet Amazona. Firma zyskała więcej czasu na walkę ze Starlinkiem
Amerykańska Federalna Komisja Łączności (FCC) poszła na rękę gigantowi e-commerce.
Amazon opóźnia się z budową swojej konstelacji satelitarnej Amazon Leo (wcześniej znanej jako Project Kuiper). Urząd zniósł jednak kluczowy termin narzucony firmie w licencji, otwarcie przyznając, że rynek desperacko potrzebuje konkurencji dla usług dostarczanych przez firmę Elona Muska.
Terminy kontra rzeczywistość
Zgodnie z pierwotną licencją przyznaną w 2020 roku, Amazon zobowiązał się do umieszczenia na orbicie połowy ze swojej docelowej konstelacji (liczącej 3232 satelity) do 30 lipca bieżącego roku. Osiągnięcie pułapu 1616 urządzeń w nieco ponad miesiąc od teraz jest fizycznie niemożliwe – obecnie na orbicie znajduje się zaledwie 333 satelitów Amazona.
Firma złożyła wniosek o wydłużenie tego czasu. FCC zdecydowała się na niemal całkowite zniesienie rygorystycznego wymogu z lipca 2026 roku. W swoim oświadczeniu instytucja uzasadniła, że ścisłe trzymanie się przepisów uderzyłoby w amerykańskich konsumentów, ograniczając ich wybór. Obecnie SpaceX jest jedynym operatorem dostarczającym szerokopasmowy internet z niskiej orbity okołoziemskiej.
Warto jednak zaznaczyć, że ostateczny termin ukończenia budowy całej sieci, wyznaczony na 30 lipca 2029 roku, pozostaje w mocy.
Rakiety uziemione, satelity czekają w magazynach
Głównym problemem Amazona nie jest tempo produkcji satelitów, lecz brak sprawnych rakiet, które mogłyby je wynieść w kosmos. Firma dysponuje wyprodukowanymi urządzeniami, jednak nowej generacji rakiety o dużej nośności zmagają się z poważnymi problemami technicznymi.
Blue Origin New Glenn miała być koniem pociągowym całego projektu. Plany te legły w gruzach 28 maja, gdy rakieta eksplodowała na stanowisku startowym na Florydzie. Na szczęście 48 satelitów Amazona nie było wtedy jeszcze zamontowanych na jej pokładzie.
Jeżeli chodzi o alternatywę to ULA Vulcan też nie poleci: producent zawiesił loty tego nośnika, aby zbadać i wyeliminować powtarzający się problem z rakietami pomocniczymi na paliwo stałe.
W rezultacie główny ciężar operacji opiera się obecnie na europejskiej rakiecie Ariane 6 oraz wycofywanej już z użytku rakiecie Atlas V, dla której Amazon zarezerwował ostatni dostępny lot.
Paradoks rynkowej walki
Decyzja FCC została podjęta wbrew oficjalnym protestom ze strony SpaceX, które aktywnie sprzeciwiało się wnioskowi Amazona o taryfę ulgową.
Co ciekawe, wspomniane wcześniej opóźnienia u zewnętrznych dostawców rakiet zmusiły Amazona do weryfikacji swoich założeń biznesowych. Firma, która początkowo celowo unikała usług SpaceX, musiała ostatecznie wykupić u tego operatora 13 misji na pokładzie sprawdzonych rakiet Falcon 9. Doprowadziło to do nietypowej sytuacji rynkowej, w której Amazon płaci swojemu największemu konkurentowi miliony dolarów za pomoc w budowie usługi, która docelowo ma odebrać mu klientów.
#Amazon #AmazonLeo #BlueOrigin #FCC #kosmicznyInternet #NewGlenn #ProjectKuiper #satelity #SpaceX #Starlink #technologieKosmiczne #Vulcan -
FCC ratuje kosmiczny internet Amazona. Firma zyskała więcej czasu na walkę ze Starlinkiem
Amerykańska Federalna Komisja Łączności (FCC) poszła na rękę gigantowi e-commerce.
Amazon opóźnia się z budową swojej konstelacji satelitarnej Amazon Leo (wcześniej znanej jako Project Kuiper). Urząd zniósł jednak kluczowy termin narzucony firmie w licencji, otwarcie przyznając, że rynek desperacko potrzebuje konkurencji dla usług dostarczanych przez firmę Elona Muska.
Terminy kontra rzeczywistość
Zgodnie z pierwotną licencją przyznaną w 2020 roku, Amazon zobowiązał się do umieszczenia na orbicie połowy ze swojej docelowej konstelacji (liczącej 3232 satelity) do 30 lipca bieżącego roku. Osiągnięcie pułapu 1616 urządzeń w nieco ponad miesiąc od teraz jest fizycznie niemożliwe – obecnie na orbicie znajduje się zaledwie 333 satelitów Amazona.
Firma złożyła wniosek o wydłużenie tego czasu. FCC zdecydowała się na niemal całkowite zniesienie rygorystycznego wymogu z lipca 2026 roku. W swoim oświadczeniu instytucja uzasadniła, że ścisłe trzymanie się przepisów uderzyłoby w amerykańskich konsumentów, ograniczając ich wybór. Obecnie SpaceX jest jedynym operatorem dostarczającym szerokopasmowy internet z niskiej orbity okołoziemskiej.
Warto jednak zaznaczyć, że ostateczny termin ukończenia budowy całej sieci, wyznaczony na 30 lipca 2029 roku, pozostaje w mocy.
Rakiety uziemione, satelity czekają w magazynach
Głównym problemem Amazona nie jest tempo produkcji satelitów, lecz brak sprawnych rakiet, które mogłyby je wynieść w kosmos. Firma dysponuje wyprodukowanymi urządzeniami, jednak nowej generacji rakiety o dużej nośności zmagają się z poważnymi problemami technicznymi.
Blue Origin New Glenn miała być koniem pociągowym całego projektu. Plany te legły w gruzach 28 maja, gdy rakieta eksplodowała na stanowisku startowym na Florydzie. Na szczęście 48 satelitów Amazona nie było wtedy jeszcze zamontowanych na jej pokładzie.
Jeżeli chodzi o alternatywę to ULA Vulcan też nie poleci: producent zawiesił loty tego nośnika, aby zbadać i wyeliminować powtarzający się problem z rakietami pomocniczymi na paliwo stałe.
W rezultacie główny ciężar operacji opiera się obecnie na europejskiej rakiecie Ariane 6 oraz wycofywanej już z użytku rakiecie Atlas V, dla której Amazon zarezerwował ostatni dostępny lot.
Paradoks rynkowej walki
Decyzja FCC została podjęta wbrew oficjalnym protestom ze strony SpaceX, które aktywnie sprzeciwiało się wnioskowi Amazona o taryfę ulgową.
Co ciekawe, wspomniane wcześniej opóźnienia u zewnętrznych dostawców rakiet zmusiły Amazona do weryfikacji swoich założeń biznesowych. Firma, która początkowo celowo unikała usług SpaceX, musiała ostatecznie wykupić u tego operatora 13 misji na pokładzie sprawdzonych rakiet Falcon 9. Doprowadziło to do nietypowej sytuacji rynkowej, w której Amazon płaci swojemu największemu konkurentowi miliony dolarów za pomoc w budowie usługi, która docelowo ma odebrać mu klientów.
#Amazon #AmazonLeo #BlueOrigin #FCC #kosmicznyInternet #NewGlenn #ProjectKuiper #satelity #SpaceX #Starlink #technologieKosmiczne #Vulcan -
#Arianespacce:
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Arianespace to launch 36 Amazon Leo satellites with an Ariane 64 equipped with advanced boosters on June 17, 2026
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".. Ariane 64 equipped with four P160C advanced solid-propellant boosters for the very first time.""Designated VA269 by Arianespace and LE-03 (Leo Europe 03) by Amazon, ."
5.6.2026
#Amazon #AmazonLeo #Ariane6 #Ariane64 #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #Satelliten #SpaceFlight #VA269
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#Arianespacce:
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Arianespace to launch 36 Amazon Leo satellites with an Ariane 64 equipped with advanced boosters on June 17, 2026
"
".. Ariane 64 equipped with four P160C advanced solid-propellant boosters for the very first time.""Designated VA269 by Arianespace and LE-03 (Leo Europe 03) by Amazon, ."
5.6.2026
#Amazon #AmazonLeo #Ariane6 #Ariane64 #CSG #Kourou #LE03 #P160C #Rakete #Raumfahrt #Satelliten #SpaceFlight #VA269
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#AmazonLeo is no longer facing an impossible-to-meet July 30 #FCC deadline to launch half of the planned 3,232 Gen 1 satellites for its high-speed internet network, but the task ahead is still challenging. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/fcc-gives-amazon-leo-more-leeway-on-its-satellite-deployment-schedule/ #Space #Satellite #Broadband #Tech
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#AmazonLeo is no longer facing an impossible-to-meet July 30 #FCC deadline to launch half of the planned 3,232 Gen 1 satellites for its high-speed internet network, but the task ahead is still challenging. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/fcc-gives-amazon-leo-more-leeway-on-its-satellite-deployment-schedule/ #Space #Satellite #Broadband #Tech
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FCC gives Amazon Leo more leeway on satellite schedule
The Federal Communications Commission has freed Amazon from a requirement to deploy the first 1,616 satellites in its Amazon Leo broadband internet constellation by July 30.The looming deadline had been a condition of the FCC’s 2020 license for the network, when it was known as
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/06/08/fcc-gives-amazon-leo-more-leeway-on-satellite-schedule/
#GeekWire #AmazonLeo #Broadband #ProjectKuiper #Satellites #Space -
FCC gives Amazon Leo more leeway on satellite schedule
The Federal Communications Commission has freed Amazon from a requirement to deploy the first 1,616 satellites in its Amazon Leo broadband internet constellation by July 30.The looming deadline had been a condition of the FCC’s 2020 license for the network, when it was known as
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/06/08/fcc-gives-amazon-leo-more-leeway-on-satellite-schedule/
#GeekWire #AmazonLeo #Broadband #ProjectKuiper #Satellites #Space -
FCC lets Amazon Leo miss deployment deadline with temporary spectrum penalty
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Next Ariane 6 launch to carry 36 Amazon Leo satellites using upgraded boosters
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Hate Elon Musk as much as you want, but SpaceX denial still isn’t a good look
Last week’s catastrophic explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket didn’t just incinerate that heavy-lift launch system and much of its support infrastructure at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 36; it also sparked a new round of Space Billionaire Schadenfreude.
Which is understandable. Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos may not have groveled for President Trump’s favor as obsequiously as such fellow tech CEOs as Apple’s Tim Cook or Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, but he seems more than content to be seen in Trump’s corner. And around my city, Bezos has richly earned D.C.’s contempt for his incompetent lackeys’ wanton dismantling of the Washington Post.
But Bezos is nowhere near the worst space billionaire. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to convince voters to return the worst president to office, oversaw the DOGE ransacking of large parts of the federal government, and continues to exploit his overlordship of X to broadcast racist, misogynistic, transphobic, antisemitic and Islamophobic garbage while amplifying some of the stupidest people on the Internet.
Musk’s accumulation and abuse of economic and political power far exceeds Bezos’s and strikes me as much more dangerous. So my first reaction to Blue’s bad day, after sympathy for engineers who saw years of work go up in a fiery mushroom cloud, was that it represents an unfortunate setback to competition for Musk’s space company on multiple levels, from inflight WiFi to landing astronauts on the Moon. I wrote as much at PCMag and, in compressed form, on Bluesky.
I should have known the reaction that post would get: people bashing not only Blue Origin but also SpaceX and the entire concept of NASA inking commercial contracts to send astronauts to space. Each mishap of SpaceX’s Starship rocket–I have written up every launch of that heavy-lift vehicle in my unofficial role as a PCMag space scribe–reliably generates comments along those lines, suggesting that not only is Starship a doomed design but that SpaceX is a failing exercise in crony capitalism.
That sentiment seems to be widely felt. And it’s nonsense.
Fact: SpaceX’s partly reusable Falcon 9–the core of its launch business, the vehicle on which customers from NASA to would-be rivals to SpaceX’s Starlink keep buying rides–is one of the most reliable rockets ever made.
Per the count at Wikipedia, out of 644 Falcon 9 launches through Thursday, only three have failed to deliver a payload to the right orbit; just one has ended with the loss of a rocket and payload. Only United Launch Alliance’s soon-to-be-retired Atlas V can beat that among launch vehicles with more than 100 liftoffs. The Space Shuttle, as much as I loved seeing it fly, was nowhere near that safe.
SpaceX also deserves credit for terminating a Russian monopoly on crew transport to and from the International Space Station with the Falcon 9-launched Crew Dragon capsule. NASA privatizing that role, years after SpaceX successfully took on delivering supplies to the ISS with the cargo version of Dragon pictured above, stands as an extraordinary accomplishment for the agency.
And yet the Obama administration struggled to sell that notion to Congress 14 years ago; many legislators, leery of a startup proposing to fly even cargo to the ISS, wanted NASA to give all that business to Boeing. Instead, that aerospace giant won one of two commercial-crew awards, and now Boeing’s Starliner capsule has yet be certified for crewed missions six years after Crew Dragon’s debut with astronauts strapped in.
To opine as if this history didn’t happen in public view–or to suggest that NASA could have procured itself an ISS crew system using the traditional contracting processes that yielded the Space Launch System’s years of delay and billions of dollars in cost overruns–is to exhibit a MAGA level of denial.
That doesn’t mean I have the same confidence in SpaceX developing a version of Starship’s upper stage as a Human Landing System for NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon. More than three years after Starship’s failed debut–followed by 11 more launches that have yet to reach orbit–Starship looks a little star-crossed. I imagine that people at NASA now wonder where we might be if SpaceX had proposed a simpler, smaller lander that could fly on the Falcon 9-derived Falcon Heavy system that NASA already trusts for some of its most important robotic planetary missions.
And yet with New Glenn grounded until at least the end of this year, probably longer, NASA now needs the complex Starship HLS concept to work more than ever. If you would rather not have the next words spoken from the lunar surface be in Mandarin, this should not be a confidence-inducing scenario.
But asking nuanced questions–about whether SpaceX is aiming too high with Starship, if Musk has lost his focus from spending too much time engaging with sycophantic superfans on X, or if recent minor issues with Falcon 9 launches suggest SpaceX is nearing its speed limit for aggressive iteration–clearly can’t be as exciting as posting hot takes on social media.
#AmazonLeo #Artemis #BlueOrigin #Boeing #ElonMusk #Falcon9 #hotTakes #InternationalSpaceStation #ISS #JeffBezos #nasa #NewGlenn #newSpace #SpaceX #Starliner #Starlink #Starship -
Hate Elon Musk as much as you want, but SpaceX denial still isn’t a good look
Last week’s catastrophic explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket didn’t just incinerate that heavy-lift launch system and much of its support infrastructure at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 36; it also sparked a new round of Space Billionaire Schadenfreude.
Which is understandable. Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos may not have groveled for President Trump’s favor as obsequiously as such fellow tech CEOs as Apple’s Tim Cook or Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, but he seems more than content to be seen in Trump’s corner. And around my city, Bezos has richly earned D.C.’s contempt for his incompetent lackeys’ wanton dismantling of the Washington Post.
But Bezos is nowhere near the worst space billionaire. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to convince voters to return the worst president to office, oversaw the DOGE ransacking of large parts of the federal government, and continues to exploit his overlordship of X to broadcast racist, misogynistic, transphobic, antisemitic and Islamophobic garbage while amplifying some of the stupidest people on the Internet.
Musk’s accumulation and abuse of economic and political power far exceeds Bezos’s and strikes me as much more dangerous. So my first reaction to Blue’s bad day, after sympathy for engineers who saw years of work go up in a fiery mushroom cloud, was that it represents an unfortunate setback to competition for Musk’s space company on multiple levels, from inflight WiFi to landing astronauts on the Moon. I wrote as much at PCMag and, in compressed form, on Bluesky.
I should have known the reaction that post would get: people bashing not only Blue Origin but also SpaceX and the entire concept of NASA inking commercial contracts to send astronauts to space. Each mishap of SpaceX’s Starship rocket–I have written up every launch of that heavy-lift vehicle in my unofficial role as a PCMag space scribe–reliably generates comments along those lines, suggesting that not only is Starship a doomed design but that SpaceX is a failing exercise in crony capitalism.
That sentiment seems to be widely felt. And it’s nonsense.
Fact: SpaceX’s partly reusable Falcon 9–the core of its launch business, the vehicle on which customers from NASA to would-be rivals to SpaceX’s Starlink keep buying rides–is one of the most reliable rockets ever made.
Per the count at Wikipedia, out of 644 Falcon 9 launches through Thursday, only three have failed to deliver a payload to the right orbit; just one has ended with the loss of a rocket and payload. Only United Launch Alliance’s soon-to-be-retired Atlas V can beat that among launch vehicles with more than 100 liftoffs. The Space Shuttle, as much as I loved seeing it fly, was nowhere near that safe.
SpaceX also deserves credit for terminating a Russian monopoly on crew transport to and from the International Space Station with the Falcon 9-launched Crew Dragon capsule. NASA privatizing that role, years after SpaceX successfully took on delivering supplies to the ISS with the cargo version of Dragon pictured above, stands as an extraordinary accomplishment for the agency.
And yet the Obama administration struggled to sell that notion to Congress 14 years ago; many legislators, leery of a startup proposing to fly even cargo to the ISS, wanted NASA to give all that business to Boeing. Instead, that aerospace giant won one of two commercial-crew awards, and now Boeing’s Starliner capsule has yet be certified for crewed missions six years after Crew Dragon’s debut with astronauts strapped in.
To opine as if this history didn’t happen in public view–or to suggest that NASA could have procured itself an ISS crew system using the traditional contracting processes that yielded the Space Launch System’s years of delay and billions of dollars in cost overruns–is to exhibit a MAGA level of denial.
That doesn’t mean I have the same confidence in SpaceX developing a version of Starship’s upper stage as a Human Landing System for NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon. More than three years after Starship’s failed debut–followed by 11 more launches that have yet to reach orbit–Starship looks a little star-crossed. I imagine that people at NASA now wonder where we might be if SpaceX had proposed a simpler, smaller lander that could fly on the Falcon 9-derived Falcon Heavy system that NASA already trusts for some of its most important robotic planetary missions.
And yet with New Glenn grounded until at least the end of this year, probably longer, NASA now needs the complex Starship HLS concept to work more than ever. If you would rather not have the next words spoken from the lunar surface be in Mandarin, this should not be a confidence-inducing scenario.
But asking nuanced questions–about whether SpaceX is aiming too high with Starship, if Musk has lost his focus from spending too much time engaging with sycophantic superfans on X, or if recent minor issues with Falcon 9 launches suggest SpaceX is nearing its speed limit for aggressive iteration–clearly can’t be as exciting as posting hot takes on social media.
#AmazonLeo #Artemis #BlueOrigin #Boeing #ElonMusk #Falcon9 #hotTakes #InternationalSpaceStation #ISS #JeffBezos #nasa #NewGlenn #newSpace #SpaceX #Starliner #Starlink #Starship -
New Glenn failure worsens constrained launch market
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://spacenews.com/new-glenn-failure-worsens-constrained-launch-market/
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Blue Origin’s rocket blast hits NASA and Amazon Leo
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture is still assessing the damage from this week’s catastrophic New Glenn rocket explosion on the company’s Florida launch pad, but it’s already clear that it will take months to make repairs and return to flight. So, what does that mean for Blue Origin and its c
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/05/29/blue-origins-rocket-blast-hits-nasa-and-amazon-leo/
#GeekWire #AmazonLeo #BlueOrigin #NASA #NewGlenn #Space -
Blue Origin’s rocket blast hits NASA and Amazon Leo
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture is still assessing the damage from this week’s catastrophic New Glenn rocket explosion on the company’s Florida launch pad, but it’s already clear that it will take months to make repairs and return to flight. So, what does that mean for Blue Origin and its c
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/05/29/blue-origins-rocket-blast-hits-nasa-and-amazon-leo/
#GeekWire #AmazonLeo #BlueOrigin #NASA #NewGlenn #Space -
How will the launch-pad explosion of the #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn rocket affect customers ranging from #AmazonLeo to #NASA ? It's likely to take months to rebuild the pad, and "Amazon is probably in the best position to deal with this setback,” an industry analyst says. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/blue-origins-rocket-blowup-nasa-amazon-leo/ #Space
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How will the launch-pad explosion of the #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn rocket affect customers ranging from #AmazonLeo to #NASA ? It's likely to take months to rebuild the pad, and "Amazon is probably in the best position to deal with this setback,” an industry analyst says. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/blue-origins-rocket-blowup-nasa-amazon-leo/ #Space
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A static-fire test of the #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn rocket ended in a spectacular launch-pad explosion that dealt a heavy blow to the company's Florida launch facility — and cast a dark cloud over the schedule for launching #AmazonLeo satellites and Blue Origin's lunar lander. (Photo credit: Spaceflight Now) https://www.geekwire.com/2026/blue-origin-new-glenn-rocket-explodes-on-pad/ #Space
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A static-fire test of the #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn rocket ended in a spectacular launch-pad explosion that dealt a heavy blow to the company's Florida launch facility — and cast a dark cloud over the schedule for launching #AmazonLeo satellites and Blue Origin's lunar lander. (Photo credit: Spaceflight Now) https://www.geekwire.com/2026/blue-origin-new-glenn-rocket-explodes-on-pad/ #Space
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Just days after the #FAA accepted the findings of a launch mishap investigation, Jeff Bezos' #BlueOrigin space venture announced that its #NewGlenn rocket will soon send 48 satellites into orbit for the high-speed internet network that Bezos approved when he was #Amazon CEO. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/blue-origin-new-glenn-rocket-amazon-leo-satellites/ #Space #AmazonLeo #ProjectKuiper #NG4 #LN01
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Just days after the #FAA accepted the findings of a launch mishap investigation, Jeff Bezos' #BlueOrigin space venture announced that its #NewGlenn rocket will soon send 48 satellites into orbit for the high-speed internet network that Bezos approved when he was #Amazon CEO. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/blue-origin-new-glenn-rocket-amazon-leo-satellites/ #Space #AmazonLeo #ProjectKuiper #NG4 #LN01
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Blue Origin gets ready to launch Amazon Leo satellites
Five weeks after experiencing its first launch failure, Kent, Wash.-based Blue Origin is getting ready to put its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket back in service to launch 48 satellites into low Earth orbit for the growing Amazon Leo constellation.The
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/05/27/blue-origin-gets-ready-to-launch-amazon-leo-satellites/
#GeekWire #Amazon #AmazonLeo #BlueOrigin #Broadband #NewGlenn #ProjectKuiper #Satellites #Space -
The leader of the team behind the #AmazonLeo satellite broadband network reveals how Jeff Bezos got the ball rolling in the connectivity competition with SpaceX's #Starlink. https://www.geekwire.com/2026/amazon-leo-leaders-inside-look-satellite-past-future/ #Space #Tech #TechAlliance #Amazon