SpaceX claims that a recent satellite launch involving Amazon Leo created “collision risks.”
In a complaint filed Wednesday with the Federal Communications Commission, SpaceX alleged that Amazon has been deploying Leo satellites at about “50-90 km higher than authorized and without adequate coordination or information sharing.”
The 3-page filing claims that, across eight launches, Amazon has deployed its Leo satellites above 450 kilometers, even though it previously told the FCC that insertion would occur “at or near 400 km.” SpaceX specifically calls out the Feb. 12 launch of the Leo satellite using the French rocket provider Arianespace.
“Most recently, even with input from SpaceX, Amazon’s February 12, 2026, launch on Ariane 6 inserted its satellites at an altitude sufficiently high that it led to unmitigable collision risks with dozens of operational spacecraft,” the company claimed.
(Credit: Arianespace)
SpaceX argues that Leo satellites “significantly increased the risks to all satellite operations near the 480 km insertion altitude.” SpaceX has been lowering its Starlink satellites to that level.
“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,” the company added.
SpaceX’s complaint is a little surprising considering the company’s Falcon 9 rocket was used for three of the eight Leo satellite launches in July, August, and October. Still, the company’s letter seems mainly to take issue with Amazon and Arianespace, blasting them for “negligence” in deploying the satellites at a higher altitude.
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“Amazon neither sought nor obtained approval for this change. Amazon must therefore swiftly ensure its launch plans comport with its authorization before it creates irreparable harm,” SpaceX told the commission.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But the company will likely respond to SpaceX’s complaint in a future filing with the FCC. Elon Musk’s company has also opposed the FCC granting Amazon Leo a crucial extension to deploy 1,600 satellites by the end of July, a deadline Amazon has said it will miss.
Currently, Leo consists of 200+ satellites, while Starlink now spans a staggering 10,000+ active satellites. In December, a satellite deployed from a Chinese rocket also risked colliding with a Starlink sat, prompting SpaceX to call for better coordination in the aerospace industry.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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