The U.S. FCC approves Amazon to deploy 4,500 satellites.

The Federal Communications Commission of the United States announced on Tuesday local time that it has approved Amazon's application to deploy 4,500 satellites. This will expand Amazon's satellite constellation and allow it to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX. The FCC's approval will allow Amazon to deploy approximately 7,700 satellites in low Earth orbit. Since April last year, the company has launched over 150 satellites using multiple rocket launch service providers. Amazon stated that its goal is to begin providing satellite internet services later this year through a service called "Leo." The project was announced in 2019. According to the announcement, Amazon's next batch of satellites will be its second-generation orbital system, operating at an altitude of approximately 400 miles. The new satellites will support more frequency bands and expand the coverage of the Leo satellites. The Federal Communications Commission of the United States stated that Amazon must launch 50% of the approved satellites by February 10, 2032, and the remaining half by February 10, 2035.