spacetoday.net: First Ariane 64 launches Amazon Leo satellites

First Ariane 64 launches Amazon Leo satellites

Posted: Sun, Feb 15, 2026, 10:46 AM ET (1546 GMT)
The first Ariane 64 successfully launched a set of Amazon Leo satellites Thursday. The rocket lifted off from French Guiana at 11:45 am EST (1645 GMT) and completed deployment of 32 Amazon Leo satellites nearly two hours later. The launch was the first for the Ariane 64, the version of the Ariane 6 with four solid-fuel boosters that doubles the rocket’s payload performance over the two-booster Ariane 62. It also marked the first use of a 20-meter-long payload fairing, longer than those used on previous Ariane 6 launches. Arianespace has a contract for 18 Ariane 6 launches of Amazon Leo satellites as Amazon works to accelerate the deployment of its broadband constellation.