Amazon announced a new brand identity for its extensive satellite network project, which it aims to establish in low Earth orbit. The satellite internet initiative, which was introduced in 2019 and has long been known as “Project Kuiper”, will now be officially known as “Amazon Leo”. This name change refers to the project’s infrastructure based on satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
This project, which the company announced to the public in 2019, aims to provide high-speed connection in regions with limited internet access around the world. In line with the plans, it is aimed to reach approximately 95 percent of the world’s population, thanks to a network of more than 3,000 satellites. However, there is still a significant way to go to achieve this goal.
Amazon Leo must evolve faster to compete with Starlink
Although expectations were high when the project was first introduced, sending the satellites into space and installing the infrastructure took longer than expected. Amazon launched its first prototype satellites, shared details about its laser-based network architecture, and introduced the antenna hardware that users will connect to. However, the first 27 satellites, which formed the basis of the project, could only be sent into space in April 2025.
Amazon Leo’s development process has been slower compared to its biggest rival in the industry, SpaceX’s Starlink service. Starlink entered the beta process in 2020 and achieved global spread in a short time. As of today, SpaceX has collaborated with T-Mobile for a satellite-based text messaging service, and in-flight internet connection tests are being conducted with some airlines.
However, Amazon has not yet made its project ready for consumer and commercial use. Amazon Leo’s rebranding shows that the company is now positioning the project as a product that can be commercialized, not just an engineering effort. Although this development is a concrete step taken by Amazon to increase its competitiveness, it still needs to make a serious breakthrough in order to gain a solid place in the market.
Amazon did not share an exact date on when the satellite internet service, which will be offered under the Leo brand, will be available for general use. However, on the official website of the project, users can subscribe to e-mail notifications to follow the developments in the future.