Amazon's Leo in-orbit satellites reach 367, becoming the third largest constellation

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network "Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper)" completed 11 launch missions in its first year of operation, with over 300 satellites deployed in orbit, making it the third largest satellite constellation in orbit. The company plans to further expand the constellation through more than 100 confirmed launches.

The Europe Leo 3 mission (LE-03) launched at 12:51 UTC on June 17 using an Ariane 6 rocket from the European Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. This mission increased the total number of spacecraft deployed by Amazon to 367, marking the 100th satellite launch for Amazon Leo by Arianespace, and the third mission completed in less than five months.

The LE-03 mission used the Ariane 6 upgraded P160C solid booster, capable of launching 36 satellites, four more than the 32 satellites carried by each of the previous two Ariane 6 missions. This is the largest payload launch in Amazon Leo's collaboration with Arianespace to date, with each additional satellite deployed expanding the coverage and capacity of customer services, aiming to complete deployment before the initial service launch later this year.

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) plans to conduct the new Leo Atlas 8 mission (LA-08) on July 2. The LA-08 mission, named after Amazon's eighth launch on ULA's Atlas V rocket, will deploy an additional 29 satellites into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission will be the last time Amazon Leo uses the Atlas V rocket, with the company shifting to ULA's next-generation Vulcan Centaur rocket for subsequent missions.