Space travel Bezos gives Musk's Starlink even more competition
In the space race of tech billionaires, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is stepping up the competition to Elon Musk's satellite internet system Starlink. Bezos' space company Blue Origin announced a high-speed network for companies called TeraWave.
22.01.2026, 03:55
SDA
The first of the more than 5,400 satellites planned for this are due to be launched into space at the end of 2027. In such systems, technology on the ground communicates directly with the satellites. They can therefore replace conventional telecommunications infrastructure. At the same time, capacities are more limited and response times are somewhat slower. Customers currently need receiving stations with antennas.
Amazon, where Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021 but remains the largest shareholder, is already building a Starlink alternative. The Amazon Leo system will use over 3200 satellites to deliver download speeds of between 100 megabits and one gigabit per second - which would be roughly the speed of fast internet lines for private households.
Starlink is operated by Musk's space company SpaceX and is also set to be upgraded to speeds of one gigabit per second in the next generation. With TeraWave, Blue Origin promises an even higher speed: the 5280 satellites in low orbit are expected to reach speeds of up to 144 gigabits per second. For a further 128 satellites in medium orbit, there is even talk of up to 6 terabits per second - 6,000 times faster than a gigabit line.
SpaceX was a pioneer in fast internet from space with Starlink. However, Amazon assumed early on that there would be interest in an alternative. Musk and Bezos have been competing with their rocket projects for years.
Controversies surrounding Starlink
Starlink systems are also used by the Ukrainian army, among others. They were particularly important at the beginning of the war against the invader Russia, after the invaders had destroyed conventional telecommunications infrastructure. Starlink initially provided the devices itself, but now has a contract with the Pentagon to supply Ukraine.
Until this contract was signed, Musk was able to decide how Starlink was used in the conflict. The tech billionaire told his biographer Walter Isaacson that he had refused to activate the Starlink supply near the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula at Ukraine's request, thereby preventing an attack on Russian troops stationed there.
Musk is currently in dispute with Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, who does not want to upgrade the low-cost airline's aircraft for Starlink use. O'Leary argues that this would increase fuel costs, but that the airline's customers do not want to pay extra for internet on the plane. Other airlines - such as Lufthansa - are currently making parts of their fleet fit for Starlink.
