Amazon announced Leo Ultra on Monday, its first antenna for the satellite internet service Project Kuiper, set to launch in a private preview before a commercial rollout next year. The device targets business and government customers and features a 20-by-30-inch design with detailed specifications.
Leo Ultra offers up to 1 Gbps download speeds and 400 Mbps upload speeds at the same time. Amazon describes it as “the fastest customer terminal in production.” The antenna includes private networking services and enables direct connections to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other cloud networks. These capabilities support secure and efficient data handling for enterprise users. No pricing information or exact availability dates have been disclosed, though the announcement provides the initial public view of the hardware.
Amazon also detailed two smaller antenna options in the Leo lineup. The 11-inch Pro antenna supports download speeds up to 400 Mbps. The 7-inch-square Nano antenna manages up to 100 Mbps. These compact versions differ from Leo Ultra, which focuses on high-performance needs of larger organizations rather than individual or small-scale applications.
In comparison, the current Starlink Performance Kit from SpaceX delivers download speeds up to 400 Mbps, which is about half the maximum advertised for Leo Ultra. SpaceX plans to introduce its V3 satellite, capable of 1 Tbps total download bandwidth. Gigabit speeds will reach Starlink customers next year, according to the company’s commitments.
The private networking features in Amazon’s Leo service address vulnerabilities found in older satellite internet systems predating Starlink. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Maryland examined unencrypted geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite links. They identified security issues that exposed VoIP calls, SMS messages, login credentials, corporate emails, and additional sensitive data transmitted without protection.
