Arianespace to launch 36 Amazon Leo satellites on November 23 at the earliest, for 10th Ariane 6 flight

Arianespace will launch 36 Amazon Leo satellites aboard Ariane 6 in its Ariane 64 configuration from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The launch is planned no earlier than November 23, and a final launch window will be set closer to the mission.

Designated VA271 by Arianespace and LE-04 (Leo Europe 04) by Amazon, the mission will be the fourth Ariane 6 launch dedicated to the Amazon Leo constellation. Upon successful completion, it will bring the total number of satellites deployed by Arianespace for Amazon to 136.

The launch will use Ariane 64, the four-booster version of Ariane 6, equipped for the second time with advanced P160C solid rocket boosters. The mission is expected to last approximately two hours and four minutes, from liftoff to the deployment of the final satellites into low Earth orbit.

As Ariane 6’s tenth flight, VA271 will mark a significant milestone in the launcher’s operational ramp-up. Since its inaugural flight in July 2024, Ariane 6 has supported a wide range of institutional and commercial missions, including CSO-3 for the French Armed Forces, Metop-SGA1, Sentinel-1D and MTG-I2 for weather forecasting and Earth observation, Galileo satellites for global navigation, and the deployment of the Amazon Leo constellation. These missions, spanning different orbital destinations and customer requirements, highlight Ariane 6’s versatility and growing operational capabilities, paving the way for future European and international space missions.

The VA271/LE-04 launch campaign is underway at the Guiana Space Center (CSG), with the satellite stack and launcher components being prepared and progressively integrated ahead of liftoff.

Amazon Leo is Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network, designed to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers beyond the reach of existing networks. Through this mission, Arianespace continues to contribute to the expansion of connectivity services worldwide.

VA271/LE-04 is part of Arianespace’s 24-launch agreement with Amazon to support the deployment of the Amazon Leo constellation. In September 2026, Amazon announced six additional Ariane 64 launches under the agreement, reinforcing the long-term partnership between the two companies.

VA271/LE-04 launch at a glance:

• 363^rd launch performed by Arianespace, 5^th Arianespace launch in 2026
• 10^th Ariane 6 flight and 4^th flight of Ariane 64
• 2^nd Ariane 64 mission equipped with P160C boosters
• 4^th Arianespace mission for Amazon Leo in 2026, as part of a 24-launch agreement
• 136 Amazon Leo satellites deployed in total by Arianespace upon successful mission completion