ULA flies final Atlas V mission carrying Amazon Leo satellites
Amazon · ULA
An Atlas V 551 deployed 29 Amazon Leo satellites in what ULA says is the rocket's last flight carrying a satellite payload.
what happened
Per SpaceNews and Launch Library records, an Atlas V 551 launched from Cape Canaveral on July 2, 2026, deploying 29 Amazon Leo (Kuiper) satellites and bringing the constellation to more than 390 satellites in orbit. SpaceNews reported this as the final Atlas V mission carrying a satellite payload, noting the vehicle's remaining flights are reserved for Boeing's CST-100 Starliner, and cited Amazon Leo officials Chris Weber and Melissa Wuerl on the vehicle's role in the constellation's early deployment. Atlas V has flown 110 missions since its 2002 debut, including 224 Amazon satellites launched across eight missions with a 100% success rate.
why it matters
Atlas V's retirement from satellite missions removes one of Amazon Leo's early workhorse vehicles just as the constellation crosses the 390-satellite mark, raising the near-term load on Vulcan, New Glenn, and Falcon 9 to keep pace with Kuiper's remaining deployment schedule and FCC buildout deadlines.
for who
Kuiper competitors, launch manifest planners
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- Amazon, ULA
- Category
- launch
- Impact
- noise
- SNR
- 4 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-07-02
- Published
- 2026-07-05 08:57 UTC