Overview
- Amazon introduced the Leo Aviation Antenna on Monday, saying it can deliver up to 1 Gbps download and 400 Mbps upload with a low‑profile, no‑moving‑parts design.
- The unit is built for single‑day installation and is meant to serve an entire cabin from gate to gate for streaming, gaming, work apps, and crew operations.
- JetBlue targets 2027 to start service and Delta plans 500 aircraft from 2028, even as Starlink has connected more than 1,400 planes and Viasat remains Delta’s primary provider.
- Amazon has launched 241 of a planned 3,232 satellites and still aims to start service in mid‑2026, with broad inflight coverage expected later because aircraft need denser low‑Earth‑orbit coverage.
- The network will tie into more than 300 ground gateways and use laser links between satellites to span oceans and polar routes, while launches continue on partner rockets, including SpaceX, until New Glenn is ready.