Success for Amazon LEO launch
July 3, 2026

By Chris Forrester



Amazon Leo’s broadband satellite constellation is growing fast. A successful launch of 29 craft on July 2nd means that there are now 396 satellites in orbit, and enough to start a ‘beta’ test service this autumn.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) handled the launch using its last Atlas V rocket. All future ULA launches for Amazon will use the more powerful Vulcan Centaur rocket. These 29 will need to be raised from their transfer orbit to their working orbit which will take a few weeks.


“Still lots of work ahead – including raising all these new satellites to their assigned altitude,” Amazon’s Leo chief Chris Weber said in a post on X. “But we’ve completed enough launches for initial service this year, and future missions ⁠just add coverage and capacity.”

Weber did not say in which region Amazon plans to begin service, but initial service is expected to begin near Earth’s north and south poles and gradually spread inward toward the equator as more satellites are added.

The launch marked the 14th mission under Project Kuiper, now rebranded as Amazon Leo. The company must officially deploy 1,600 satellites by July 30th, as required by the FCC, although this date is expected to be missed and subject to an amendment by the FCC.

Amazon has secured launch deals with SpaceX, Arianespace, and Blue Origin to meet its goals. The full constellation of 3,200 satellites is expected to be completed by 2029. This token launch news highlights ongoing progress in the project timeline.

Once the satellites reached their target altitude of approximately 465 kilometers, operational control shifted to Amazon’s mission control team in Redmond, Washington. From there, the satellites will undergo checkout procedures before joining the active constellation.

The full constellation deadline sits at July 30th 2029, giving Amazon roughly three more years to get all 3,200-plus satellites deployed and functioning.