Overview
- Blue Origin plans to begin deploying TeraWave in the fourth quarter of 2027, with the program currently at the announcement stage.
- The two‑layer architecture combines 5,280 LEO satellites using radio links up to 144 Gbit/s symmetric with 128 MEO satellites using optical links up to 6 Tbit/s, which carry latency and weather‑sensitivity trade‑offs.
- The service is positioned for governments, data centers and enterprises rather than mass consumers, with a conceptual cap of about 100,000 customers.
- Company materials indicate operations in higher V and Q bands (roughly 33–50 GHz), a choice that increases capacity but is more susceptible to atmospheric conditions as lower bands grow crowded.
- The move intensifies competition with SpaceX’s Starlink, which has roughly 10,000 satellites in orbit, and sits alongside Amazon’s separate Leo project; analysts also highlight growing concerns over orbital congestion and the need for stronger regulation.