What exactly is launching on November 13?
Per ULA's mission page, a Vulcan VC6L rocket, LEO-optimized Centaur V upper stage, six GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters and a long payload fairing, will lift 40 Amazon Leo satellites from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral. The satellites deploy from the Centaur over roughly half an hour. It is Vulcan's fifth flight overall and the first of 38 Vulcan launches Amazon has booked; ULA previously flew eight Leo missions on Atlas V. A liftoff time has not been published yet.
Why is this flight two stories in one?
For ULA, it is a comeback. Vulcan has been grounded since February, when a solid-booster nozzle failed less than 30 seconds into the USSF-87 national security mission, the second such nozzle failure. Both times the rocket compensated and reached orbit, but an industry-government team with Northrop Grumman and the Space Force has been investigating ever since. This flight uses the improved nozzle design, and ULA says flying it is the fastest way to validate the fix. Space Force clearance for national security payloads is a separate question still pending.
For Amazon, it is the ramp. Leo has nearly 400 satellites on orbit toward an initial constellation of more than 3,000, and the six-booster Vulcan carries more per launch than anything else Amazon flies until New Glenn is ready, and the first New Glenn assigned to Leo was lost in a May launch-pad explosion (no satellites aboard). Amazon says a second Vulcan is already assembled for the Vulcan Leo 2 mission. All of it feeds the service debut the company reaffirmed for 2026 on last week's earnings call.
What does it mean in the race with Starlink?
Constellation math. Starlink operates more than 11,000 satellites and serves millions; Leo is at ~400 and pre-service. The gap is why launch cadence is the metric that matters for Leo right now: 38 Vulcans booked, plus Atlas V (done), Ariane 6 and Falcon 9 flights. One 40-satellite launch changes the count by 10%; a steady drumbeat of them is what turns Leo from a project into a network. Our Starlink vs Amazon Leo comparison tracks the service side of the race.
What should I watch on launch day?
ULA streams its launches; watch for the solid boosters' performance in the first minute (that is the part being validated), the Centaur's half-hour deployment sequence, and any word on the next Leo launch date. If Vulcan is back for good, expect the Leo manifest to accelerate quickly, with Vulcan Leo 2 already stacked.
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Frequently asked questions
When is Amazon Leo's next launch?
Friday, November 13: a ULA Vulcan rocket carrying 40 Leo satellites from Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex-41. No liftoff time has been published yet.
Why was the Vulcan rocket grounded?
Two solid rocket booster nozzle failures, most recently 30 seconds into the USSF-87 mission in February 2026. The rocket reached orbit both times; this flight flies an improved nozzle design after a nine-month investigation.
How many Amazon Leo satellites are in orbit?
Nearly 400, per Spaceflight Now. The initial constellation is planned at more than 3,000 satellites.
When does Amazon Leo internet service start?
Amazon reaffirmed on its October 29 earnings call that service launches in 2026. No pricing or plan details have been announced.
Which rockets launch Amazon Leo satellites?
ULA's Atlas V (8 missions flown) and now Vulcan (38 booked), plus Ariane 6 and SpaceX's Falcon 9. Blue Origin's New Glenn is planned but suffered a pad explosion in May before its first Leo assignment.