Amazon Leo@Amazonleo·First Ariane 64 hardware is on the pad: The central core is now vertical, a key step toward LE-01, our inaugural launch with @Arianespace. Liftoff of 32 Leo satellites remains set for Feb. 12 from French Guiana. Follow along for mission updates: https://spr.ly/6015C7Hjx
🚀 Ariane 64 campaign milestone: central core transferred to the launch padThe central core of Ariane 64, composed of the main stage and upper stage, fully assembled, has been transferred from the integration building to the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.This operation marks a new step in the launch campaign, as the launcher is now positioned vertically on the launch pad, ready for the next phases of integration.This first Ariane 64 embodies years of development, qualification and industrial ramp-up. It demonstrates ArianeGroup’s ability to deliver a powerful, modular and reliable launcher, designed to meet the most demanding missions.With the central core now standing, teams will move forward with:- The integration of the four P120C boosters,- Transfer of the long fairing to the launch zone, and installation on the launcher,- Launch readiness review,- Final launch Countdown and liftoff.At ArianeGroup, every milestone reflects the collective expertise of our teams, engineers, technicians and partners, working together to turn a new generation of launcher into operational reality.The first Ariane 64 is now standing.A new chapter for European launch capability is taking shape.@Arianespace @esa@CNES @EuropeSpacePort @Amazonleo#RocketMakers #Ariane6
🚀 The four P120C boosters for the first Ariane 64 have arrived on the launch pad!The four P120C boosters, which will power the liftoff of Ariane 64 on February 12, have now been transferred to the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The preparation of the first Ariane 64 launch continues.These boosters will be integrated around the launcher’s central core already standing on the pad.
Amazon Leo@Amazonleo·LE-01 mission update: The launch window is set for our inaugural mission with @Arianespace, targeting Feb. 12 to launch 32 Leo satellites from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Here’s a time-zone breakdown for Ariane 64’s liftoff:➡️ 8:45 a.m. – 9:13 a.m. (U.S. PT)➡️ 11:45 a.m. – 12:13 p.m. (U.S. ET)➡️ 1:45 p.m. – 2:13 p.m. (Kourou, French Guiana)➡️ 4:45 p.m. – 5:13 p.m. (UTC)➡️ 5:45 p.m. – 6:13 p.m. (CET)
Arianespace shares the launch window for mission VA267 / @Amazonleo LE-01, with the first Ariane 64.🕘 Liftoff is planned from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on February 12, 2026, as early as possible within the following launch window:* 11:45 a.m. – 12:13 p.m. (Washington D.C.)* 01:45 p.m. – 02:13 p.m. (Kourou)* 04:45 p.m. – 05:13 p.m. (UTC)* 05:45 p.m. – 06:13 p.m. (Paris)➡️ Arianespace will launch 32 Amazon Leo satellites, with the first Ariane 64, the four-booster configuration of Ariane 6.➡️ The mission will last a total of 1 hour and 54 minutes, from liftoff to separation of all the satellites.➡️ Arianespace unveils the official mission patch for the VA267 mission, dedicated to the first Ariane 6 launch of 32 @Amazonleo satellites into Low Earth Orbit.➡️ This flight will be the first in a series of 18 Ariane 6 launches booked supporting the deployment of the constellation for Amazon Leo, Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network whose mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers beyond the reach of existing networks.At Arianespace, every mission starts with an ambition. VA267 is a new chapter. Stay tuned!
VA267 Launch window Liftoff is planned from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on February 12, 2026, as early as possible within the following launch window: * 11:45 a.m. – 12:13 p.m. (Washington D.C.)* 01:45 p.m. – 02:13 p.m. (Kourou)* 04:45 p.m. – 05:13 p.m. (UTC)* 05:45 p.m. – 06:13 p.m. (Paris) Arianespace will launch 32 Amazon Leo satellites, with the first Ariane 64, the four-booster configuration of Ariane 6. The mission will last a total of 1 hour and 54 minutes, from liftoff to separation of the all the satellites. Mission VA267 will mark the first Ariane 6 launch for Amazon Leo, Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network whose mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers beyond the reach of existing networks. This flight will be the first in a series of 18 Ariane 6 launches booked supporting the deployment of the constellation.VA267 Mission patch Arianespace unveils the official mission patch for the VA267 mission, dedicated to the first Ariane 6 launch of 32 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit.
ESA Space Transport@ESA_transport·1hFor the first time, with 4 boosters! 🚀Flight #VA267 is set to liftoff from @EuropeSpacePort in French Guiana on 12 February between 16:45–17:13 GMT (17:45–18:13 CET, 13:45–14:13 local time).With four boosters, Ariane 6 will take 32 satellites for @Amazonleo constellation to low-Earth orbit.
For this flight, Ariane 6 will be using the long fairing that houses the 32 Leo satellites inside and protects them from the elements until they reach space. The fairing is 20 m tall and 5.4 m diameter and could carry four giraffes standing on each other’s shoulders.As this is the first flight with a long fairing, it makes this launch the tallest Ariane 6 so far. Once assembled on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana it will be 62 m high, roughly the same as a 20-storey building.
Weather forecast in Kourou:
Amazon Leo is preparing for its first heavy-lift mission of 2026 aboard Arianespace's Ariane 64 rocket, scheduled to launch February 12 from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana.Named Leo Europe 01 (LE-01) for the first of 18 missions with Arianespace, the mission will deploy 32 satellites into low Earth orbit. This is also the eighth Amazon Leo mission to date and will bring the total number of satellites in the constellation to 200+ spacecraft, bringing Amazon a step closer to its mission of delivering fast, reliable internet to customers beyond the reach of existing networks.You can watch the live broadcast of the LE-01 launch on YouTube, beginning at 8.45 a.m. PT (4.45 p.m. UTC) on February 12.The LE-01 missionThe LE-01 launch will utilize the Ariane 64 rocket configuration—the more powerful, four-booster variant of the Ariane 6 rocket designed for maximum payload capacity, capable of delivering up to 20 metric tons to low Earth orbit. This additional performance will allow us to send 32 satellites into orbit, making it the largest Leo payload launched to date.Following liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, Ariane 64 will shed its solid rocket boosters and payload fairing within the first few minutes of flight before its upper stage takes over, placing the mission on a precise trajectory toward its target orbit through a series of carefully timed engine burns.Satellite deployment will begin approximately 90 minutes into the mission, with satellites released sequentially over a 25-minute period. At that point, flight control teams at the Amazon Leo Mission Operations Center in Redmond, Washington, take over spacecraft operations, conducting initial health checks before raising satellites to their assigned altitude of 630 kilometers (km).Future Leo missions on Ariane 6 are designed to carry even more satellites per launch as additional performance upgrades and mission optimizations come online, further increasing the rocket’s lift capability over time. As Amazon continues to scale its constellation, Ariane 64—alongside other new heavy-lift rockets on the Leo manifest—will play a critical role in accelerating deployment while optimizing mission efficiency and cost, with each launch delivering more satellites to orbit in a single flight."LE-01 marks several important firsts for Amazon Leo," said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Amazon Leo. "This is our first launch of 2026, our inaugural mission with Arianespace as part of our 18-launch agreement, and the first of three new heavy-lift rockets joining our manifest this year. These powerful launch vehicles allow us to deploy more satellites per mission, which will help us get service to customers as quickly as possible. Teams have done everything they can to prepare for a nominal first mission and we’re looking forward to many more Leo Europe missions in 2026."Amazon Leo and Arianespace's European partnership in spaceIn 2022, Amazon secured 18 launches with Arianespace, representing the largest commercial contract Arianespace has ever signed. As Arianespace's largest commercial customer, Amazon is working alongside European partners to build its satellite network.“Ahead of the first Ariane 64 flight servicing Amazon Leo’s constellation, our teams are fully focused and eager for launch. This mission marks the first of 18 launches Arianespace will conduct for Amazon Leo and it will showcase new capabilities of Europe’s Ariane 6 heavy-lift launcher. We are proud to contribute to the deployment of this ambitious constellation, expanding access to reliable internet around the world,” said David Cavaillolès, CEO of Arianespace.The LE-01 mission will launch from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe’s spaceport, located in French Guiana, managed by the French space agency (CNES) with the support of European Space Agency (ESA).
