Amazon builds 1,000th satellite, will launch space internet service by end of year

Amazon has constructed its 1,000th satellite. The company plans to begin launching its space-based internet service by the end of the year. It is preparing to enter a market currently dominated by SpaceX, which has held a leading position for the past five years. This marks a significant step in Amazon's decade-long development of a low-Earth orbit satellite constellation designed to deliver broadband internet. The move is drawing attention from airlines, shipping companies, and government entities. Broadband connectivity from orbit has demonstrated utility across applications ranging from video gaming and commerce to military operations. Until now, high-speed global internet access from space has been largely restricted to SpaceX's Starlink service. OneWeb offers only limited services. This leaves Amazon as the primary competitor capable of delivering high-speed internet globally. Rajeev Badyal leads Amazon's broadband efforts. He previously headed Starlink during its early development phase. Elon Musk dismissed Badyal eight years ago, citing his cautious approach to Starlink's progression.