SpaceX, Amazon Clash on Satellite Collision Risks
Altering target altitudes would delay already behind-schedule deployments, Amazon said.
WASHINGTON, April 3, 2026 – SpaceX and Amazon are dueling over satellite collision risks as Amazon tries to deploy more of its low-Earth orbit constellation.
SpaceX told the Federal Communications Commission in a Wednesday letter that Amazon was launching its satellites to altitudes above the 400 kilometers the agency had permitted, creating the risk of a collision with SpaceX’s massive 10,000 satellite constellation.
“Amazon’s unapproved action materially altered the collision risk profile the Commission evaluated when it approved Amazon’s orbital debris mitigation plan, imposing heightened risk on all other operators and the millions of Americans who depend on space-based services,” SpaceX wrote.
SpaceX claimed Amazon and Ariancespace, the rocket company that conducted Amazon’s most recent Feb. 12 launch, didn’t do effective “launch collision avoidance screening” and didn’t provide sufficient information to other operators on the position of those satellites.
“Amazon’s lack of deconfliction forced Starlink satellites alone to perform 30 collision avoidance maneuvers within hours immediately following the Ariane launch to avoid the newly deployed satellites,” SpaceX wrote.
In a Thursday response, Amazon said SpaceX recently lowering its own orbits was the reason for the congestion. Amazon noted SpaceX itself had launched Amazon satellites to 460 km in the past.
Amazon also claimed nothing about its process or the collision risk violated industry standards or FCC rules. The company said it had met with SpaceX representatives to work out a solution.
Part of the problem is that adjusting launch altitudes can take months or a year, and Amazon is already behind schedule on its Leo constellation. Another launch was delayed over the weekend due to inclement weather.
“Working with Arianespace, Amazon Leo has committed to lowering its target insertion altitude, beginning with its fourth Ariane mission,” the company wrote. “Similarly, Amazon Leo is working with its other launch providers to determine if they can lower insertion altitudes without impacting Amazon Leo’s schedule.”
Amazon has 212 satellites in orbit after that Feb. 12 mission, far lower than the 1,618 it’s supposed to have in orbit by July 30 under its FCC license deadlines. The company had to “reengineer” some of its satellites unexpectedly and had otherwise encountered repeated launch delays.
The company has asked the FCC for an extension of its deadline. Amazon was a major participant in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, and is set to serve more than 400,000 locations with satellite broadband under the program.
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