Blue Origin Hires 47 Amazon Employees for TeraWave Project

Blue Origin hired at least 47 employees from Amazon's Leo satellite venture over the past year to build TeraWave, a new satellite communications project. The recruited talent includes vice presidents, a recruiting director, and engineers specializing in software, optical systems, radio communications, and avionics.

While Amazon Leo targets broadband internet for households and businesses, TeraWave focuses on high-volume data services for government and corporate clients. Both companies operate in the Seattle area, where specialized space industry talent is limited.

This hiring surge comes as Blue Origin works to recover from setbacks with its New Glenn rocket, which has been grounded since a preflight testing explosion in May. The company aims to begin deploying TeraWave satellites by the end of 2027, though analysts describe this timeline as highly ambitious.