Arianespace to orbit 36 Amazon Leo satellites
June 8, 2026
By Chris Forrester
Preparations are underway at the French spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana to ready 36 Amazon Leo broadband satellites for launch on June 17th, subject to the usual weather and technical considerations.
The launcher is an extremely powerful Ariane 64 rocket with its four upgraded solid rocket boosters. The 36 Amazon Leo satellites arrived in Kourou on April 14th and 16th and are undergoing preparation at the Guiana Space Centre.
Designated VA269 by Arianespace and LE-03 (Leo Europe 03) by Amazon, this mission will be the third consecutive Ariane 6 launch in support of the constellation. Carrying 36 satellites, our more than the VA267 LE-01 and VA268 LE-02 missions, the Ariane 6 will demonstrate its versatility and increased performance by delivering the heaviest payload ever carried by an Ariane launcher.
Amazon Leo is Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network, designed to provide fast and reliable internet connectivity to underserved populations. It will also mark Ariane 6’s eighth flight and its third since the beginning of the year.
Protected within the launcher’s 20-meter-long fairing, the satellites will be injected into low Earth orbit following a flight lasting 1 hour and 51 minutes, from liftoff to separation of the final satellite.
Arianespace has orders in place for 18 Amazon Leo launches of which this is the third.
Launch window on June 17th:
· 07:53 – 08:22 (Washington, D.C.)
· 08:53 – 09:22 (Kourou)
· 11:53 – 12:22 (UTC)
· 13:53 – 14:22 (Paris)
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