ULA to launch 29 Amazon Leo satellites aboard Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched a new batch of Amazon Leo’s broadband internet satellites aboard its Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on May 29, 2026, despite challenging weather conditions. The mission, designated Amazon Leo 7 by ULA and Leo Atlas 07 (LA-07) by Amazon, began its countdown at 12:13:30 PM EDT, featuring two planned pauses designed to ensure safety and readiness ahead of the launch.

Adverse weather threatened to delay the liftoff; the 45th Weather Squadron had forecasted only a 30 percent chance of favorable conditions. An influx of moisture and variable winds posed a significant risk for weather-related violations during the launch window. Despite these predictions, the Atlas 5 rocket successfully lifted off at 7:53 PM EDT, shortly after sunset, signaling another milestone in ULA’s partnership with Amazon.

This latest mission marks the seventh deployment of Amazon’s production satellites by ULA, and it is expected to be one of the last to utilize the Atlas 5 rocket. The Atlas 5 rocket employed for this mission was designated AV-113, marking it as the 109th launch of the Atlas 5 series to date, and the 22nd flight of the 551 configuration, which is equipped with five solid rocket boosters.

Amazon has secured a total of 47 launches from ULA, divided among 38 Vulcan rockets and nine Atlas 5 rockets. However, the delayed debut of the Vulcan rocket has necessitated the use of the Atlas 5 for Amazon’s satellite missions. Following the launch of LA-07, only one Atlas 5 rocket will remain in Amazon’s queue.

The company’s ambitious project envisions a first-generation constellation comprising over 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit. While the Federal Communications Commission mandates that Amazon must have half of its satellite constellation operational by July 2026, about 300 satellites are currently in orbit as of the latest launch. Amazon’s request for leniency regarding this requirement is under review.

Plans for deploying additional satellites aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets were impacted by a recent incident involving the rocket’s launch pad. Fortunately, Amazon’s satellites remained unharmed during the explosion that damaged the facility.

Looking ahead, ULA states that its last launch using the Atlas 5 551 rocket for the Amazon Leo constellation is projected for July 2026.

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