TL;DR: Arianespace plans to launch 36 Amazon Leo satellites on Ariane 6 flight VA271 / LE-04 no earlier than November 23 from French Guiana.

Arianespace sets target for 10th Ariane 6 flight

Arianespace will launch 36 Amazon Leo satellites aboard Ariane 6 in its Ariane 64 configuration from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, according to the Arianespace Newsroom announcement published Oct. 14, 2026.

The launch is planned no earlier than November 23, and a final launch window will be set closer to the mission, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Designated VA271 by Arianespace and LE-04 (Leo Europe 04) by Amazon, the mission will be the fourth Ariane 6 launch dedicated to the Amazon Leo constellation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Spaceflight Now, in its mission page titled "Ariane 6 • Leo Europe 4," describes the same flight as an Ariane 6 rocket from Arianespace that will launch a batch of 36 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit.

Upon successful completion, the flight will bring the total number of satellites deployed by Arianespace for Amazon to 136, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Spaceflight Now likewise identifies the flight as the fourth out of 24 flights booked by Amazon on the launcher.

The announcement frames VA271 as the 10th flight of an Ariane 6 rocket, according to both the Arianespace Newsroom and Spaceflight Now.

What will fly on VA271 / LE-04

The tenth flight of Ariane 6 will place 36 satellites for Amazon Leo into orbit using the launcher's most powerful configuration, Ariane 64, equipped with four advanced P160C solid-propellant boosters, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Spaceflight Now states that the mission will fly using the Ariane 64 rocket configuration with four P160C solid-propellant boosters augmenting the Vulcain 2.1 main engine.

The launch will use Ariane 64, the four-booster version of Ariane 6, equipped for the second time with advanced P160C solid rocket boosters, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The Arianespace Newsroom launch-at-a-glance summary lists VA271 as the second Ariane 64 mission equipped with P160C boosters.

That same summary lists the flight as the fourth flight of Ariane 64 overall, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The mission is expected to last approximately two hours and four minutes, from liftoff to the deployment of the final satellites into low Earth orbit, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The destination for the 36 spacecraft is low Earth orbit, according to both the Arianespace Newsroom and Spaceflight Now.

Amazon Leo is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network, designed to deliver fast, reliable internet to customers beyond the reach of existing networks, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Through this mission, Arianespace continues to contribute to the expansion of connectivity services worldwide, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Where the launch campaign stands

The VA271/LE-04 launch campaign is underway at the Guiana Space Center (CSG), with the satellite stack and launcher components being prepared and progressively integrated ahead of liftoff, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana is identified as the launch site for the Ariane 64 mission, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Spaceflight Now identifies Arianespace as the operator of the Ariane 6 rocket assigned to the batch of 36 Amazon Leo satellites.

A final launch window will be set closer to the mission, after the current target of no earlier than November 23, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The flight is listed by Arianespace as the 363rd launch performed by Arianespace, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The same company tally lists VA271 as the fifth Arianespace launch in 2026, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The company tally also lists the flight as the fourth Arianespace mission for Amazon Leo in 2026, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The tally lists 136 Amazon Leo satellites deployed in total by Arianespace upon successful mission completion, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Why a fourth Amazon flight in 2026 matters for the manifest

VA271 will mark another milestone in Ariane 6's operational ramp-up, further demonstrating its ability to support large-scale satellite constellation deployments, including future European constellations, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The mission is part of a partnership between Arianespace and Amazon, which was recently further strengthened by an order for six additional Ariane 64 launches, bringing its total commitment to 24 missions, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

VA271/LE-04 is part of Arianespace's 24-launch agreement with Amazon to support the deployment of the Amazon Leo constellation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

In September 2026, Amazon announced six additional Ariane 64 launches under the agreement, reinforcing the long-term partnership between the two companies, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Spaceflight Now describes the Amazon booking on the launcher as 24 flights, with LE-04 as the fourth of those flights.

The fourth Ariane 6 launch for Amazon Leo in 2026 would, upon successful deployment, bring the Arianespace-deployed subtotal for the constellation to 136 spacecraft, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

That planned subtotal reflects four dedicated Ariane 6 launches for Amazon Leo during 2026, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Ariane 6 record since the inaugural flight

As Ariane 6's tenth flight, VA271 will mark a significant milestone in the launcher's operational ramp-up, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Since its inaugural flight in July 2024, Ariane 6 has supported a wide range of institutional and commercial missions, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Those missions have included CSO-3 for the French Armed Forces, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Those missions have included Metop-SGA1 for weather forecasting and Earth observation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Those missions have included Sentinel-1D for weather forecasting and Earth observation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Those missions have included MTG-I2 for weather forecasting and Earth observation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Those missions have included Galileo satellites for global navigation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Those missions have included deployment of the Amazon Leo constellation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

These missions, spanning different orbital destinations and customer requirements, highlight Ariane 6's versatility and growing operational capabilities, paving the way for future European and international space missions, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

What to watch before liftoff

The next formal detail expected from Arianespace is a final launch window set closer to the mission, following the current no-earlier-than November 23 target, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Preparation and progressive integration of the satellite stack and launcher components at the Guiana Space Center remain the stated pre-liftoff activity for VA271/LE-04, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The planned configuration for that integration flow is Ariane 64 with four P160C solid-propellant boosters, according to the Arianespace Newsroom and Spaceflight Now.

The planned duration from liftoff to deployment of the final satellites into low Earth orbit remains approximately two hours and four minutes, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The planned payload remains 36 satellites for Amazon Leo, according to the Arianespace Newsroom and Spaceflight Now.

The planned designations remain VA271 by Arianespace and LE-04 (Leo Europe 04) by Amazon, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Upon successful completion, the stated result will be 136 satellites deployed by Arianespace for Amazon, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

The broader framework remains Arianespace's 24-launch agreement with Amazon to support deployment of the Amazon Leo constellation, according to the Arianespace Newsroom.

Sources referenced