SpaceX tries to convince FCC that Amazon put satellites into wrong altitude
Foto: Amazon
Up to 90 kilometers above the permitted ceiling – this is the distance at the center of the sharpest dispute currently unfolding in the space industry between SpaceX and Amazon. Elon Musk's company has officially accused Project Kuiper of violating orbital debris mitigation plans during recent Ariane 6 rocket launches. According to SpaceX, Amazon's satellites are being released at altitudes between 450 and 490 km instead of the declared 400 km, creating a direct collision risk for dozens of other objects, including crewed spacecraft. Amazon refutes the allegations, claiming that the term "near 400 km" is interpreted in accordance with safety standards and that SpaceX is merely attempting to use Federal Communications Commission (FCC) procedures to delay the construction of a rival network. This conflict exposes the growing problem of congestion in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). For end users, this corporate duel represents not only a fight for global satellite internet coverage but, above all, a debate over the safety of the infrastructure upon which modern communication depends. A lack of precise coordination between the giants could lead to orbital clutter, which, in a worst-case scenario, would block the possibility of safe launches in the future. The battle over a 50 km altitude is de facto a fight for dominance over the future orbital connectivity market.
The conflict over space in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is entering a new, aggressive phase. SpaceX, operator of the Starlink network, has officially accused Amazon and its launch partner, Arianespace, of gross negligence that is "unnecessarily and significantly increasing risk to other operating systems and crewed spacecraft." The dispute concerns the altitudes at which Amazon Leo project satellites (formerly known as Kuiper Systems) are deployed during launch, which according to Elon Musk's company, creates an "unmitigable collision risk."
The Battle for 50 Kilometers Above Earth
At the heart of the dispute lies the precision with which satellites are placed into preliminary orbit before reaching their final operational positions. In a filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), SpaceX claims that Amazon is violating its approved space debris mitigation plan. According to the accusations, the competitor's satellites are being released at altitudes 50-90 km higher than those specified in their license, occurring without proper coordination and information exchange.
Amazon's original 2021 assumptions spoke of deploying satellites at an altitude of "approximately 400 km," from where they were to be raised to a target operational orbit between 590 km and 630 km. Meanwhile, SpaceX calculates that as many as eight launches took place with an inclination above 450 km. The most controversy was sparked by a mission on February 12, 2026, carried out using the Ariane 6 rocket. According to SpaceX, the satellites reached an altitude that forced the Starlink constellation to perform as many as 30 avoidance maneuvers within just a few hours of launch.
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Amazon's response was immediate and strikes at the SpaceX narrative, pointing out that the problem is not the launch altitude, but a sudden change in strategy by Musk's company. Amazon Leo representatives argue that their actions are consistent with their license, which allows for some flexibility in launch parameters. Furthermore, the e-commerce giant reminded that in July 2025, SpaceX itself, acting as a launch service provider, carried Amazon satellites to an altitude of 460 km without any objections.
According to Amazon, SpaceX's protests only appeared when the Starlink operator decided to lower the orbit of its new second-generation satellites to levels of 475 km, 480 km, and 485 km.
- FCC regulations allow SpaceX to place 15,000 units there.
- Starlink satellites currently operate as low as 462 km above the equator.
- Amazon claims it is these Starlink orbit adjustments that created the point of contact that previously posed no threat.
The Specter of Orbital Chaos
The situation is becoming tense not only due to business competition but also real safety threats. SpaceX currently has over 10,000 satellites in orbit and plans to increase that number to a million to create orbital data centers. Any incident generating debris is a potential disaster for this vision. Musk's company recently admitted to losing contact with two Starlink satellites, which led to a debris cloud monitored by the LeoLabs radar network.
In turn, Amazon emphasizes that it follows NASA and FAA safety standards, and the collision risk during the February launch was verified by the external firm SpaceNav. The dispute also has a political undertone. SpaceX enjoys the favor of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who recently rejected an Amazon petition aimed at blocking Starlink expansion plans. This makes every technical complaint a powerful tool in the fight for dominance in the space internet sector.
The current impasse shows that low Earth orbit is becoming a "crowded neighborhood" lacking clear, globally enforced traffic rules. Although Amazon declared that from the fourth Ariane mission it will strive to lower the satellite release altitude, SpaceX is demanding more radical and immediate action. The aggressive expansion of both giants suggests that incidents like 30 avoidance maneuvers in a few hours will become routine rather than the exception, which in the long run will force the FCC to introduce much more rigid orbital corridors, limiting the flexibility that both companies are fighting for today.
