Pecohub Amazon is ditching the Project Kuiper name and rebranding its Starlink rival as Amazon Leo.
Project Kuiper started off as a code name for Amazon’s satellite internet ambitions. “We’ve hit some important milestones under that name, but there’s lots more on the horizon, and it seemed like a good time to share our permanent brand for the program,” says VP Rajeev Badyal.
The name is a nod to low-Earth orbit (LEO), where the company’s satellites will reside as they circle the planet. The lower orbit has already enabled SpaceX to deliver satellite internet speeds of 200Mbps and higher to users on the ground, and Amazon plans to do the same, as higher-orbiting geostationary satellites struggle to compete with Starlink
Amazon has also received regulatory clearance to launch and operate over 3,200 satellites in low-Earth orbit. But for now, the company only has about 150 in space as it works to launch more into orbit. A Project Kuiper executive previously revealed that the company aims to serve five markets, including the US, by the end of Q1 2026.
The company faces a significant uphill battle against Starlink, which already has over 2 million active customers in the US and has expanded to more than 150 markets globally.
In the meantime, Amazon has launched a new website for the Leo brand, featuring new images of the company’s three dish models. The smallest dish, the portable Nano, weighs 2.2 pounds and can deliver speeds up to 100Mbps, making it a potential rival to the Starlink Mini dish.
Meanwhile, the larger Pro dish, which weighs 5.3 pounds, promises to offer speeds up to 400Mbps. The third model, a 43-pound Ultra dish, is designed to power 1Gbps download rates.
The Leo site also includes a sign-up to receive email updates from the company about the service. For now, it’s unclear how much Amazon’s satellite internet service will cost.
