Launch Vehicles
Amazon Leo uses five different launch vehicles — an unprecedented multi-provider strategy designed to reduce single-point-of-failure risk and maximise deployment cadence. The total launch procurement exceeds $10 billion.
| Vehicle | Provider | Contracted | Sats/Launch | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas V 551 | ULA | 9 | 27–29 | 7 flown — nearing retirement |
| Falcon 9 | SpaceX | 13+ | 24 | 3 flown — 10 remaining |
| Ariane 64 | Arianespace | 18 | 32 | 2 flown — highest capacity per launch |
| Vulcan Centaur | ULA | 38 | TBD | Manifest starting 2026–2027 |
| New Glenn | Blue Origin | 12+ | TBD | Maiden flight 2025 — Kuiper missions TBD |
Completed Missions
| # | Mission | Date | Rocket | Sats | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KA-01 | 28 Apr 2025 | Atlas V | 27 | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| 2 | KA-02 | 23 Jun 2025 | Atlas V | 27 | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| 3 | KF-01 | 16 Jul 2025 | Falcon 9 | 24 | Cape Canaveral SLC-40 |
| 4 | KF-02 | 11 Aug 2025 | Falcon 9 | 24 | Cape Canaveral SLC-40 |
| 5 | KA-03 | Sep 2025 | Atlas V | 27 | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| 6 | KF-03 | 13 Oct 2025 | Falcon 9 | 24 | Cape Canaveral SLC-40 |
| 7 | LA-04 | 16 Dec 2025 | Atlas V | 27 | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| 8 | LE-01 | 12 Feb 2026 | Ariane 64 | 32 | Kourou, French Guiana |
| 9 | LA-05 | 4 Apr 2026 | Atlas V | 29 | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| 10 | LA-06 | 27 Apr 2026 | Atlas V | 29 | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| 11 | LE-02 | 30 Apr 2026 | Ariane 64 | 32 | Kourou, French Guiana |
The naming convention shifted after the November 2025 rebrand: missions KA (Kuiper Atlas) and KF (Kuiper Falcon) became LA (Leo Atlas), LE (Leo Europe), and future missions will use LV (Leo Vulcan), LN (Leo New Glenn) and LF (Leo Falcon).
Deployment Cadence
April 2026 was the highest-cadence month yet, with three launches (LA-05, LA-06, LE-02) deploying 90 satellites in 26 days. Amazon targets 20+ missions in 2026 and 30+ in 2027 as Vulcan Centaur and New Glenn join the active manifest. The 38-launch Vulcan contract alone represents a massive block of future deployment capacity. See the full launch schedule for all upcoming missions across all providers.
FCC Deadline Pressure
The deployment schedule is driven by FCC licence requirements: 1,618 satellites by July 30, 2026 and 3,236 by July 30, 2029. With 302+ launched and the 2026 deadline approaching, Amazon has requested an extension. The Gen2 expansion (4,500 additional satellites, approved January 2026) has its own deadlines: 50% by February 2032, 100% by February 2035. Track the countdown on the Amazon Leo Tracker.
How Does This Compare?
For context, SpaceX deploys roughly 130 Starlink launches per year on Falcon 9. China's Guowang and Qianfan constellations are launching on a similar roughly-monthly cadence using Long March rockets. Amazon's multi-provider approach is unique — no other constellation operator uses five different rocket families. For the full comparison, see Starlink vs Amazon Leo.