United Launch Alliance (ULA) now lists November 15, 2026, as the next launch opportunity for Vulcan Leo 1, the rocket’s first mission carrying Amazon Leo broadband satellites. The official mission page identifies a 29-minute window opening at 12:11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and closing at 12:40 p.m. The mission is scheduled to depart Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The launch was originally targeted for November 13 before moving to November 14 following an interruption in a ground-support nitrogen system. The newly displayed November 15 window replaces that intermediate target. The mission will carry 40 Amazon Leo satellites, the largest number assigned to a single Amazon Leo launch to date.
Ground Support Interruption Delays Vulcan
ULA announced the first postponement on November 13 after a power interruption at an Air Liquide gaseous nitrogen facility disrupted high-pressure pumping equipment. The company explained that the launch team could not confirm sustained delivery of the required gas and moved the mission to its backup opportunity.
The November 13 statement reported that the Vulcan rocket and the satellites remained healthy. The nitrogen system forms part of the infrastructure used to prepare and operate the launch vehicle. Ground-supplied gases support functions including system purging and pressurization during launch preparation.
The mission had been assigned a November 13 launch time of 12:54 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Following the nitrogen-system interruption, ULA selected November 14 at 12:32:30 p.m. The company’s mission page subsequently displayed the November 15 window beginning at 12:11 p.m.
Vulcan Leo 1 will be the rocket’s return-to-flight mission following a February 2026 solid rocket booster nozzle anomaly. That earlier event prompted an investigation and changes to booster hardware. The Amazon mission will be the first flight using the updated solid rocket booster nozzle design.
First Vulcan Mission for Amazon Leo
Amazon has contracted 38 Vulcan launches from ULA to deploy more than 1,500 first-generation satellites for its broadband constellation. The initial mission, also designated LV-01, is carrying 40 spacecraft. It follows eight Amazon Leo missions conducted using ULA’s Atlas V rocket.
The Amazon mission announcement identifies Vulcan as a major launch provider for the constellation. Amazon plans to operate a network of more than 3,000 low Earth orbit satellites that communicate with ground equipment and user terminals to provide broadband connectivity.
Amazon reported completing production of its 1,000th satellite in September 2026 and having hundreds of spacecraft ready for launch. The company is using multiple launch providers, including ULA, Arianespace, Blue Origin and SpaceX, to deploy spacecraft into the constellation.
Vulcan Leo 1 introduces the VC6L configuration, combining six solid rocket boosters with an extended payload fairing and a Centaur V upper stage optimized for low Earth orbit. ULA identifies the payload mass as exceeding 22,700 kilograms, a record for the company’s orbital launch operations.
The rocket stands approximately 65.5 meters tall. Two BE-4 engines burning liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen power its first stage. The six attached GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters provide additional thrust during the initial ascent.
According to ULA’s technical mission account, the combined engines and boosters will generate approximately 17.2 meganewtons of thrust at liftoff. The solid boosters are expected to burn for about 90 seconds before separation, followed by several additional minutes of first-stage propulsion.
A Shorter Centaur V Upper Stage
The mission introduces a Centaur V upper stage designed specifically for launches into low Earth orbit. This variant is approximately 10.7 meters tall, about 1.8 meters shorter than the high-energy version used for earlier Vulcan missions.
The low-orbit variant carries approximately one-third less propellant. A shorter upper stage reduces the mass of the launch system, making more performance available for the satellite payload. The configuration is intended to support large groups of Amazon Leo satellites that must be delivered to selected orbital planes.
After Vulcan’s first stage completes its ascent, the Centaur V upper stage will take over propulsion. Its two RL10 engines burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The planned mission profile includes an initial engine firing to establish a temporary parking orbit, followed by a coast period and a second firing to establish the satellite deployment orbit.
ULA plans to release the 40 satellites beginning approximately 70 minutes after liftoff, using 16 separation events over about 25 minutes. The first four events will release one satellite each. The remaining 12 events will release three spacecraft each.
The intended deployment orbit is approximately 285 miles, or 459 kilometers, above Earth. Once released, the satellites will continue their own orbital operations and commissioning activities.
New Facilities Support Amazon’s Launch Program
The mission also introduces launch infrastructure funded by Amazon at Cape Canaveral. This includes a dedicated Vertical Integration Facility, designated VIF-A, and a mobile launch platform for Amazon Leo missions.
The new processing facilities allow ULA to assemble and prepare two Vulcan rockets simultaneously. Amazon reports that its next mission, LV-02, is already being prepared using another integration facility.
The company expects the second mission to launch within weeks of a successful LV-01 flight. That schedule is part of Amazon’s plan to increase the number of constellation satellites delivered during 2026 and subsequent years.
ULA has incorporated changes to the solid rocket booster nozzles following its February 2026 anomaly investigation. The company reports that the work included materials analysis, component testing and a full-scale motor firing. The upgraded hardware is installed on the vehicle assigned to the Amazon mission.
New Space Economy’s profile of ULA describes the company’s transition from Atlas V toward Vulcan operations.
The next scheduled event for Vulcan Leo 1 is the November 15 launch window, with 40 Amazon Leo satellites awaiting deployment and the rocket prepared to conduct its first flight in the six-booster configuration.
