U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr recently took aim at Amazon for opposing SpaceX’s proposal to launch a vast satellite constellation that could double as an orbital data center network. Carr’s criticism of Amazon came in the form of a social media post on X, where he expressed his disapproval of Amazon’s stance on SpaceX’s application.
Amazon had urged the FCC to dismiss SpaceX’s plan to deploy up to 1 million low Earth orbit satellites that could potentially function as artificial intelligence data centers in space. Describing SpaceX’s proposal as more of a “lofty ambition” than a concrete plan, Amazon argued that the company had not provided enough detailed information about how the system would operate.
In response to Amazon’s opposition, Carr highlighted Amazon’s own satellite deployment progress, pointing out that the company was falling short of meeting its upcoming deployment milestone by roughly 1,000 satellites. He criticized Amazon for spending time and resources filing petitions against companies like SpaceX that are actively launching thousands of satellites into orbit.
Amazon, in turn, declined to comment on Carr’s statement. The company has been working on its Project Kuiper satellite network to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink service, investing over $10 billion in the program and launching more than 200 satellites since April of the previous year. Amazon has requested a 24-month extension from the FCC to deploy approximately 1,600 satellites by July 2028, as originally required by July 2026.
On the other hand, SpaceX’s Starlink network currently boasts nearly 10,000 satellites in orbit and serves around 10 million customers. The FCC has also granted SpaceX authorization to deploy an additional 7,500 satellites as the company continues to expand its global satellite internet network.
The dispute between Amazon and SpaceX highlights the competitive nature of the satellite industry and the race to dominate the burgeoning space-based data center market. As companies like SpaceX and Amazon continue to push the boundaries of satellite technology, the FCC plays a crucial role in regulating and overseeing these developments to ensure fair competition and responsible deployment of satellite infrastructure.