![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7b4f363d5473f4ccd7b2846ab316ab43.png\")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Amazon.com, Inc. just made its loudest move yet in the space race\u2014and if the breadcrumbs are right, it came at SpaceX’s expense.<\/p>\n
Amazon’s April 14 acquisition of satellite operator Globalstar, Inc. isn’t just another deal\u2014it’s shaping up as a direct strike in an increasingly high-stakes orbital battle.<\/p>\n
And according to Bank of America, the prize isn’t small: a $200 billion low-Earth orbit (LEO) market spanning broadband, wireless, and defense.<\/p>\n
Don’t Miss:<\/p>\n
Officially, SpaceX never confirmed it was bidding. Unofficially, the industry chatter says otherwise.<\/p>\n
Satellite analyst Tim Farrar reported that Globalstar’s chairman shopped Amazon’s offer to SpaceX to spark a bidding war\u2014one where Elon Musk’s company was widely seen as the frontrunner just weeks ago.<\/p>\n
That aligns with what insiders were saying at SatShow 2026, where a potential SpaceX-Globalstar tie-up was the talk of the show, with executives pointing to SpaceX’s aggressive push into direct-to-cell (D2C) spectrum as a natural fit.<\/p>\n
Even market signals hinted at a duel. Globalstar shares jumped on reports that both Amazon and SpaceX were deep in due diligence, while SpaceX’s last-minute, incomplete FCC auction filing was widely read as a strategic placeholder during parallel negotiations.<\/p>\n
In the end, Jeff Bezos didn’t just win\u2014he likely forced the price higher.<\/p>\n
Trending:\u00a0Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your \u2018Safe’ Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time<\/a><\/p>\n This isn’t about satellites\u2014it’s about spectrum control.<\/p>\n Globalstar owns valuable L-band and MSS spectrum, the backbone for satellite-to-phone connectivity. That’s the next frontier, where smartphones connect directly to space\u2014no towers required.<\/p>\n Amazon’s move neatly complements its Project Kuiper ambitions, while also aligning with Apple Inc., which already relies on Globalstar for emergency SOS features.<\/p>\n That Apple angle may have tilted the table. A SpaceX takeover could have complicated those relationships, given its overlap with telecom partners like T-Mobile US Inc. Amazon, by contrast, looks like the more neutral\u2014and cooperative\u2014partner.<\/p>\n See Also:\u00a0Skip the Regrets: The Essential Retirement Tips Experts Wish Everyone Knew Earlier.<\/a><\/p>\n Zoom out, and this is bigger than Bezos vs. Musk.<\/p>\n BofA sees the LEO satellite market ballooning to $200 billion, with players like Starlink, Kuiper, and AST SpaceMobile, Inc. racing to blanket the planet with connectivity.<\/p>\n Musk\u2019s Starlink still dominates on scale. But Amazon just closed a critical gap\u2014locking in spectrum, partnerships, and positioning in one move.<\/p>\n Call it what it is: this wasn’t just an acquisition.<\/p>\n It was a block.<\/p>\n And if this deal is any indication, the space race isn’t just back\u2014it’s getting crowded, expensive, and a lot more personal.<\/p>\n Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.<\/p>\n Read Next:\u00a0Thinking about ETFs? See what investment risks you should be aware of before you buy.<\/a><\/p>\n