Amazon in Talks to Acquire $9 Billion Globalstar

Amazon is in advanced discussions to acquire Globalstar, a U.S.-based satellite telecommunications company valued at approximately $9 billion, as part of its strategy to expand a low-Earth orbit satellite network competing with SpaceX's Starlink service, according to people familiar with the matter.

The potential deal, reported on Thursday, aims to accelerate Amazon's Project Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, which seeks to provide high-speed internet access via a constellation of more than 7,700 satellites. Amazon has already launched over 200 satellites since April 2025 and is seeking a Federal Communications Commission extension to deploy about 1,600 by mid-2026. Negotiations between Amazon and Globalstar, headquartered in Covington, Louisiana, have focused on resolving complex aspects of the transaction, but no agreement has been reached, and talks could still fall apart.

A key challenge involves Apple, which holds a 20 percent stake in Globalstar following a $1.5 billion investment in 2024. That funding supported expansions in satellite infrastructure, including ground stations, to enable features like Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhones, allowing users to send...