Amazon moves into satellites
Amazon announced an agreement to buy Globalstar for about $11.57 billion to expand its low‑Earth‑orbit satellite internet ambitions and compete more directly with other LEO providers. The deal was covered broadly in business press and signals a continued willingness by a major logistics player to invest in long‑duration network infrastructure. (reuters.com)
Amazon agreed on April 14 to buy satellite operator Globalstar for about $11.57 billion, pushing deeper into space-based internet. (reuters.com) Globalstar said the deal is expected to close in 2027 after antitrust, foreign-investment and telecommunications reviews. The company said shareholder approval is already locked in through written consent. (globalstar.com) Amazon is building its own low-Earth-orbit network, now branded Amazon Leo, to sell broadband from thousands of satellites flying much closer to Earth than traditional communications spacecraft. Amazon said its initial constellation will include more than 3,000 satellites. (aboutamazon.com) That distance matters because low-Earth-orbit systems can cut signal delay compared with higher-orbit satellites, making internet service feel closer to a terrestrial connection. Amazon says the network is aimed at communities and businesses beyond the reach of existing broadband. (aboutamazon.com) Amazon started full-scale deployment in April 2025 with its first 27 satellites, and the company said on April 4, 2026 that it had completed its ninth mission. Those launches are part of a plan for more than 80 missions from Arianespace, Blue Origin, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance. (aboutamazon.com 1) (aboutamazon.com 2) Globalstar brings an existing mobile-satellite business, including wholesale capacity and communications services for retail, business and government customers. In securities filings, the company describes its network as a provider of mobile satellite services for voice and data. (globalstar.com) The company is also best known to many consumers through Apple’s emergency text feature, which uses Globalstar’s satellites when an iPhone cannot reach a cellular network. TechCrunch and Fierce Network both identified that partnership as part of Globalstar’s value to Amazon. (techcrunch.com) (fierce-network.com) Reuters said Amazon is using the acquisition to challenge SpaceX’s Starlink more directly, as the market for low-Earth-orbit connectivity expands from home broadband into phones, vehicles and remote industrial links. The Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau says satellite licensing and policy are central to that growing communications market. (reuters.com) (fcc.gov) The next step is regulatory review, but the shape of the bet is already clear: Amazon is pairing a still-growing satellite constellation with an operator that already has spectrum, customers and an active network in orbit. (globalstar.com 1) (globalstar.com 2)
