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Amazon Satellites Blast Off for Internet Race
2 Jul
Summary
- ULA launches 29 Amazon internet satellites on an Atlas V rocket.
- The launch window opens early Thursday morning, July 2.
- This mission ties the record for the heaviest Atlas V payload.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is preparing for a significant launch of Amazon's internet satellites early on Thursday, July 2, 2026. An Atlas V rocket will carry 29 Amazon Leo spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch window is set to open during a 29-minute period starting at 12:24 a.m. EDT (0424 GMT).
This mission, designated Amazon Leo 8, is notable as it ties the record for the heaviest payload ever launched by an Atlas V rocket, with the 29 satellites totaling about 18 tons. The Atlas V rocket being used is the 551 variant, its most powerful configuration, featuring five solid rocket boosters.
Amazon Leo is Amazon's initiative to establish a broadband megaconstellation in low Earth orbit, intending to deploy approximately 3,200 satellites. This ambitious project aims to provide internet services and will directly compete with SpaceX's Starlink network. To date, around 370 Amazon Leo satellites have successfully reached orbit across 14 missions.
