Atlas V’s final launch for Amazon Leo ends era for ULA’s workhorse

On the night of Wednesday‑Thursday, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V lifted off from Cape Canaveral, carrying 29 Amazon Leo satellites that completed the constellation’s ninth Amazon mission and brought the total deployed to 398. The launch, the 100th Atlas V flight and the last to use the rocket’s most powerful five‑booster configuration, signals the start of the rocket’s retirement, leaving only six Atlas V vehicles for Boeing’s Starliner crew‑capsule missions.

Amazon’s broadband megaconstellation now looks to ULA’s upcoming Vulcan rocket, Europe’s Ariane 6 and Blue Origin’s New Glenn for future launches. Vulcan’s solid‑rocket‑booster problems and the May explosion of New Glenn have delayed their entry, leaving Ariane 6 and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as the only currently available launch options. Amazon has reserved 38 Vulcan launches, purchased more than 100 rides overall, and aims to expand the Leo network from its initial mid‑latitude service to global coverage with a planned 3,232 satellites.