A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 12:30 a.
m. EDT.
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The mission carried 29 Amazon Leo broadband satellites into low Earth orbit.
All spacecraft were successfully deployed approximately 70 minutes after liftoff, according to United Launch Alliance.
The payload weighed about 18 tons, tying the record for the heaviest load ever launched by an Atlas V rocket configuration.
This was the ninth mission United Launch Alliance has flown for Amazon's broadband megaconstellation, formerly known as Project Kuiper.
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Amazon plans to deploy around 3,200 satellites for the network to compete with SpaceX's Starlink system.
The nighttime launch followed a northeasterly flight path, making it potentially visible to observers along the East Coast of the United States.
"The evening launch will be visible from Florida to New England, if weather conditions in your area permit," United Launch Alliance stated.
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To date, about 400 Amazon Leo craft have reached orbit across 15 total missions using three different rocket systems.
