Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/24573892 (051644ZMAY26) Notable: Space Sciences NASA
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>>44372
The Atlas V rocket has placed 29 Amazon satellites into orbit: the Leo constellation now comprises 270 satellites
On 27 April, United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, successfully launched an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral.
On board were 29 communications satellites intended for the Amazon Leo project. This launch marked the sixth Atlas V launch for Amazon.
As a result of this latest launch, the number of Amazon satellites placed into low-Earth orbt by ULA has reached 168. If earlier prototypes are included, the total number of satellites in the constellation is approaching 270.
The Leo 6 mission was completed in record time: it took just around 14 hours from the rocket being placed on the launch pad to liftoff.
Amazon has two more launches using the Atlas V ahead of it: the next one, named Leo 7, is scheduled for 22 May 2026. To create a global satellite internet network, Amazon will need to launch approximately 3,236 satellites into orbit.
In the near future, the Atlas V will be phased out of service. It will be replaced by new rockets – the ULA Vulcan Centaur and Blue Origin New Glenn – which will help Amazon to accelerate the deployment of its satellite constellation and close the gap with its competitors.
The new Soyuz-5 launch vehicle successfully launched from Baikonur
On 30 April 2026, at 21:00 Moscow time, the first test launch of the new Russian medium-class Soyuz-5 launch vehicle took place from Launch Pad 45 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome (previously used for Zenit rocket launches).
According to Roscosmos, both stages performed without incident, and the scale model was placed on a suPost too long. Click here to view the full text.
