Live Coverage: Arianespace to Launch Its Heaviest Payload to Date with Amazon Leo Flight
The mission will be Ariane 6’s third Amazon Leo flight and its heaviest payload yet, Arianespace said.
- On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, Ariane 6 is scheduled to lift off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying 36 Amazon Leo broadband satellites into low Earth orbit.
- This mission marks the debut of upgraded P160C solid rocket boosters, which increase Ariane 6 payload capacity by more than two tons and enable the vehicle to carry its heaviest load to date.
- Building its constellation to compete with SpaceX's Starlink network, Amazon Leo has deployed 331 satellites across 12 missions to date, with Wednesday marking the 14th launch overall.
- Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission granted Amazon Leo a waiver on its July 30 deadline, though FCC Space Bureau chief Jay Schwarz imposed conditions requiring faster satellite production to maintain spectral priority.
- Amazon plans to deploy its constellation through more than 80 launches over coming years, with the next mission, Leo Atlas 08, scheduled for July 3 using a United Launch Alliance rocket.
16 Articles
16 Articles
The New Ariane 6 with 4 P160C Boosters Successfully Launches Amazon LEO Satellites
COLLEFERRO, IT / ACCESS Newswire / June 17, 2026 / Avio's new P160C solid rocket boosters successfully powered Ariane 6 flight VA269, enabling the launcher to deploy 36 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit and marking a major step…
Live coverage: Arianespace to launch its heaviest payload to date with Amazon Leo flight
Arianespace’s Ariane 64 rocket stands at the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana ahead of the launch of the Leo Europe 03 mission for Amazon Leo. Image: Arianespace Arianespace is preparing to launch its largest and heaviest payload to date on a version of its Ariane 6 rocket that incorporates new solid rocket boosters. The mission is designated VA269 by Arianespace and Leo Europe 03 (LE-03) by Amazon. It will send 36 Amazon Leo br…
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425 MagazineArianespace Deploys Largest Amazon Leo Satellite Payload to Date
France-based Arianespace successfully launched 36 Amazon Leo satellites aboard an Ariane 6 rocket in its Ariane 64 configuration, taking off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
First Upgraded Ariane 6 Rocket Launches 36 Satellites for Amazon
Credit: ESA / CNES / Arianespace / ArianeGroup / Optique Vidéo du CSG / T. Leduc Arianespace has successfully completed its third Ariane 6 flight of 2026, delivering another 36 Amazon satellites to orbit aboard a new variant of the rocket that features the upgraded P160C solid-fuel boosters. The Ariane 64 rocket, which features four solid-fuel boosters, lifted off at 12:21 UTC from ELA-4 at the Guiana Space Centre. The launch was delayed briefly…
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