Blue Origin Enters the Orbital Internet Race With TeraWave Project

Blue Origin has announced plans for TeraWave, a next-generation orbital internet project designed to deliver extremely high data throughput using a combination of radio-frequency and optical communications.

Based on the disclosed specifications, TeraWave is not intended as a conventional consumer broadband network. Instead, the project is positioned as a high-capacity data infrastructure aimed at enterprise and industrial users requiring reliable, ultra-fast connectivity anywhere on the planet.

Enterprise-focused orbital infrastructure

TeraWave is designed to support data transmission rates of up to 144 Gbps per user terminal via radio links, with symmetrical upload and download speeds. In addition, the system will leverage optical communications capable of reaching up to 6 Tbps per channel.

Such performance suggests that the network is tailored for data-intensive use cases, including remote data centers, industrial facilities, offshore platforms, and isolated communication hubs — effectively enabling high-speed connectivity even in the most geographically challenging locations.

According to preliminary estimates, the addressable market for TeraWave could reach approximately 100,000 enterprise customers globally.

Satellite constellation architecture

While full technical documentation has not yet been released, Blue Origin has outlined the basic architecture of the TeraWave network.

The low Earth orbit (LEO) segment will consist of 5,408 satellites, providing radio-frequency connectivity in the Q/V band with data rates of up to 144 Gbps per terminal.

Complementing this layer, 128 satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO) will handle long-range, ultra-high-capacity data transmission using optical links capable of up to 6 Tbps.

All satellites within the constellation will be interconnected via inter-satellite laser links, enabling direct data routing in space rather than relying solely on ground-based relay stations. This architecture is intended to reduce latency, increase network resilience, and significantly expand total system throughput.

Deployment timeline and launch capabilities

Deployment of the TeraWave satellite constellation is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027. Specific launch schedules have not yet been disclosed.

Industry observers expect Blue Origin to align the rollout of TeraWave with the operational deployment of its heavy-lift launch vehicle, New Glenn.

In November last year, Blue Origin successfully completed a key milestone by recovering the first stage of New Glenn on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean — a development that could play a critical role in supporting the large-scale launch cadence required for the TeraWave constellation.

Positioning in the satellite internet landscape

TeraWave highlights Blue Origin’s ambition to move beyond launch services and into space-based infrastructure. Unlike consumer-oriented satellite internet networks, the project appears focused on serving high-value enterprise clients with demanding bandwidth and reliability requirements.

If executed as planned, TeraWave could represent a significant step toward orbital data networks capable of supporting the growing global demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence workloads, and distributed digital infrastructure.