In a regulatory decision issued Tuesday, Oct. 27, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted approval for Amazon.com Inc.’s proposed acquisition of satellite operator Globalstar.
The transaction, initially announced in April at an estimated valuation of $11.5 billion, was authorized by the commission on grounds that the combination will expand commercial competition in the direct-to-device (D2D) telecommunications sector, where SpaceX maintains an established position via Starlink Mobile.
D2D Market Competition and Subsidiary Structure
Industry pricing estimates published by Via Satellite place the transaction value at $10.8 billion, covering Globalstar’s operational satellite fleet, physical ground infrastructure, and licensed spectrum allocations.
Under the terms approved by the commission, Globalstar will transition into a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon while retaining its current corporate brand identity. The company will operate as an affiliate of Kuiper Systems LLC (Amazon Leo), facilitating operational alignment between Globalstar’s mobile satellite services (MSS) assets and Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network.
Orbital Fleet Architecture and Production Baseline
The regulatory clearance follows the FCC Space Bureau’s Oct. 19 grant authorizing Globalstar’s third-generation C-3 D2D satellite constellation.
Technical and operational specifications for the authorized infrastructure include:
- Constellation Volume: 54 planned C-3 spacecraft, consisting of 48 active operational low Earth orbit units and six dedicated on-orbit spares.
- Manufacturing Prime: Spacecraft manufacturing contracted to MDA Space to construct the D2D satellite buses and payloads.
- Launch Phasing: Initial orbital launch campaigns scheduled to commence in 2027.
- Spectrum Integration: Unified operation of Globalstar’s globally harmonized mobile satellite spectrum and ground stations alongside Amazon’s existing ground and space segments.
Closing Timeline to 2027
Amazon confirmed that it expects to formalize and close the transaction in 2027, pending the conclusion of remaining regulatory reviews and interagency approvals.
