What is Amazon Leo? Your Definitive Guide to Amazon’s Satellite Internet (Formerly Project Kuiper)

Date: November 28, 2025 Author: Pumpkin

If you’ve been following the race to provide global internet coverage from space, you know the major players. But as of November 2025, one of those players has a brand new name.

Amazon has officially retired the codename “Project Kuiper” and rebranded its massive satellite broadband initiative as Amazon Leo.

If you just searched “What is Amazon Leo?” you are likely looking for answers on what this change means, how fast the service will be, and when you can actually get it. This guide is the most up-to-date resource on the web, breaking down everything we know right now about Amazon’s ambitious entry into the low Earth orbit internet market.

The Big News: Why the Change to “Amazon Leo”?

For years, Amazon’s satellite initiative was known internally and publicly as Project Kuiper (named after the Kuiper Belt in the outer solar system).

On November 13, 2025, Amazon made the strategic decision to rebrand ahead of its commercial push. The new name, Amazon Leo, is a direct, simplified nod to where the action happens: Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

This wasn’t just a marketing coat of paint; it signifies a shift from an experimental project phase to a go-to-market reality. As noted in recent coverage by GeekWire, the name change coincides with the release of final production hardware, signaling that Amazon is ready to compete globally.

What Exactly Is Amazon Leo?

At its core, Amazon Leo is a planned constellation of over 3,000 satellites orbiting the Earth. Unlike traditional satellite internet that relies on massive geostationary satellites far out in space (resulting in high latency or “lag”), LEO satellites orbit much closer to the planet—roughly 590–630 km above us.

The Mission: The goal of Amazon Leo is to provide fast, low-latency, and reliable broadband internet to areas where traditional fiber or cellular connectivity is unreliable, expensive, or completely non-existent.

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The “Secret Sauce”: AWS Integration

 What sets Amazon Leo apart from competitors isn’t just the satellites; it’s the ground game. Amazon is designing Leo to integrate seamlessly with Amazon Web Services (AWS). For enterprise customers, this is a massive advantage. It means a remote mining site, a research vessel, or a rural factory can connect directly into the AWS cloud network via satellite with enterprise-grade security, bypassing the public internet bottlenecks.

The Hardware: How Fast Will Amazon Leo Be?

This is the question everyone asks. Can it actually compete with cable or fiber? Based on Amazon’s recent reveals, the answer seems to be yes—especially on the high end.

Amazon Leo will utilize customer terminals (the antennas you put on your roof) in three distinct sizes:

1. Leo Nano: A compact, portable antenna designed for basic connectivity.
2. Leo Pro: A standard-sized terminal designed for residential and small business use.
3. Leo Ultra: The powerhouse enterprise-grade terminal.

[Insert Image 2 Here: Amazon Leo Customer Terminal]

Breaking the Gigabit Barrier

The biggest headline from the recent rebrand is the capability of the Leo Ultra terminal. Amazon has officially confirmed this top-tier hardware delivers download speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

If realized commercially, 1 Gbps speed places satellite internet on par with high-end fiber optic connections, a potential game-changer for heavy-bandwidth users in remote locations.

Amazon Leo vs. Starlink: The Space Race Heats Up

You cannot discuss Amazon Leo without mentioning its primary rival: SpaceX’s Starlink.

Starlink has a significant head start, with thousands of satellites already in orbit. However, Amazon Leo is gearing up to be a formidable competitor, particularly in the business sector. As businesses use satellite internet to reach developing regions, marketing efficiency becomes critical. You can learn how to maximize your budget in these emerging markets in our analysis of 10 Low CPC Countries for Instagram Ads.

Here is a quick glance at how they are shaping up right now:

When Can I Get Amazon Leo? (Timeline & Availability)

As of late November 2025, the service is in a pre-commercial phase. Amazon has successfully launched over 150 satellites and is actively ramping up production.

What’s Next? Amazon has announced its next major launch with ULA is scheduled for December 15, 2025. You can track these updates on the Amazon Leo mission page.

Industry analysts anticipate a broader commercial rollout to begin sometime in 2026, as they continue to launch satellites to build out the necessary density for global coverage.

Final Thoughts

The rebranding to Amazon Leo signals that Amazon is finished just “projecting” and is ready to deliver. With promised gigabit speeds and the backing of the massive AWS infrastructure, the satellite internet monopoly is about to become a fierce duopoly.

Keep checking back. We will update this guide as soon as official pricing for Amazon Leo is announced.

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