Blue Origin Plans 5,400-Satellite Global Internet Network

Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, announced plans to launch over 5,400 satellites to build a new global communications network.

The network, named TeraWave, is designed to provide continuous internet coverage worldwide and transmit large amounts of data at speeds far surpassing existing satellite services.

Despite its ambitious plans, Blue Origin would still operate far fewer satellites than Elon Musk’s Starlink, which currently leads the satellite internet market. Starlink, part of Musk’s SpaceX, provides internet and phone services directly to individual customers, while TeraWave will primarily serve data centers, businesses, and government clients.

Blue Origin claims TeraWave could achieve upload and download speeds of up to 6 terabits per second, significantly faster than current commercial satellite offerings.

Another competitor is Amazon, where Bezos remains executive chairman. Amazon’s satellite project, Project Kuiper (Leo), currently has about 180 satellites in orbit, with plans to expand to over 3,000. Like Starlink, Leo is geared toward the general public rather than enterprises or governments. The timeline for completing the Leo constellation has not been specified.

Blue Origin aims to begin TeraWave satellite launches by the end of 2027.

The company has recently achieved key milestones, including a successful rocket booster landing on a floating platform in November—a feat previously only accomplished by SpaceX—and an 11-minute all-female space flight in April, which included Bezos’ wife Lauren Sánchez, singer Katy Perry, and CBS presenter Gayle King.

However, some critics argued that such celebrity spaceflights were “tone-deaf” given the broader economic challenges faced by many.