On June 17, 2026, Arianespace will launch 36 Amazon Leo satellites aboard Ariane 6 in its Ariane 64 configuration from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, within the following launch window: 07:53 a.m – 08:22 a.m (Washington, D.C.), 08:53 a.m – 09:22 a.m (Kourou), 11:53 a.m– 12:22 p.m (UTC) and 01:53 p.m – 02:22 p.m (Paris) The mission, called VA269 and LE-03 for Amazon Leo, will mark the third Ariane 6 launch dedicated to the deployment of the Amazon Leo constellation, within a series of 18, and is the eighth Ariane 6 launch overall and the third of the year.

Beyond deploying new Amazon Leo satellites, the VA269 mission marks a new milestone in Ariane 6's ramp-up. Less than two years after its inaugural flight, Europe's launcher is already undergoing its first major upgrade with the introduction of the P160C boosters. This improvement increases the launcher's performance while maintaining its overall architecture, showcasing Ariane 6's ability to evolve rapidly to meet the growing demands of both institutional and commercial markets. With 36 satellites on board— 4 more than on the two previous Amazon Leo missions—Ariane 6 will concretely demonstrate this performance gain by carrying the heaviest payload ever launched by an Ariane launcher.

The P160C boosters are among the world's largest carbon-fiber one-piece solid-propellant rocket motors. They are designed to replace the P120C, the version of the booster that has flown on the first flights of Ariane 6. The significant evolution happens inside the boosters, whose length and width remain unchanged. Indeed, inside the booster, the new P160C engines are one meter longer than the P120C and can carry up to 156 tonnes of propellant each, increasing the performance of 10% compared to the P120C. This upgrade raises Ariane 64's payload capacity to approximately 22 tonnes in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). 

On this VA269 LE-03 mission, the P160C will enable Ariane 64 to carry 36 Amazon Leo satellites, so 4 more than on the first two Amazon Leo missions with Ariane 64. Housed under the launcher' 20-meter-long fairing, the satellites will be deployed into low Earth orbit following a mission lasting a total of 1 hour and 51 minutes from lift-off to the separation of the last satellites. The 36 Amazon Leo satellites arrived in Kourou on April 14 and 16 and are now being prepared at the Guiana Space Center. Meanwhile, Ariane 6's central core and its four P160C boosters are already assembled on the launch pad for the VA269 flight.

Amazon Leo is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network, whose mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers beyond the reach of existing networks. Through this mission, Arianespace continues to contribute to the expansion of connectivity services worldwide. VA269 is part of a series of 18 launches entrusted to Arianespace for the deployment of Amazon's constellation, underscoring the long-term partnership between the two companies. VA269 launch at a glance:

• 361st launch by Arianespace, 3rd Arianespace launch in 2026
• 8th Ariane 6 launch and 3rd launch of Ariane 64
• 1st launch of Ariane 64 equipped with P160C boosters, its most powerful configuration
• 3rd Arianespace mission for Amazon Leo, within a series of 18
• 36 Amazon Leo satellites, the heaviest payload ever launched by an Ariane launcher
• At the end of the mission: 100 satellites in orbit launched by Arianespace for Amazon Leo in 5 months

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