Posted: Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 8:09 PM ET (0009 GMT)
An Atlas 5 lifted off Thursday on the last mission for that rocket carrying a satelite payload. An Atlas 5 551 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 12:30 am eDT (0430 GMT), deploying 29 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit. The launch was the last of nine Atlas 5 launches Amazon bought in 2021 to being deployment of its constellation. It was also the last Atlas 5 launch that will deploy satellites; the remaining six Atlas 5 vehicles are reserved for Starliner missions. ULA will continue launching Amazon Leo satellites on its Vulcan rocket, but has not announced when those launches will begin.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
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•  Aviation Week article
•  ULA press release