Space-Based 5G Backhaul: The Billion-Dollar Race to Orbit 5G (2024–2031)
Starlink’s upfront CapEx was estimated at about $10 billion and later as high as $30 billion, SpaceX launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites with about 4,000 in operation by April 2025, and the service exceeded 5 million subscribers worldwide by 2025. Amazon’s Project Kuiper is a $10 billion plan for a 3,236-satellite constellation, with 27 production satellites launched by April 2025 and a requirement to have 1,618 satellites in operation by July 2026 under its FCC license. Telesat Lightspeed plans 198 satellites, has secured roughly $2.54 billion in funding, aims to launch by mid-2026 and deliver global service by around 2027,