Atlas V Launches 29 Satellites, Ties Heaviest Payload Record

Getting affordable internet to remote corners of the world just got a major boost Monday night.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launched 29 Amazon internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 8:53 p.m. EDT. The rocket successfully deployed all 29 spacecraft across 10 separate releases over just 16 minutes, starting about 21 minutes after liftoff.

The mission carried 18 tons of satellites into low Earth orbit, tying the heaviest payload an Atlas V has ever flown. Amazon set that same record just three weeks earlier on April 4 when it sent its first batch of 29 satellites skyward.

Monday's launch was the sixth Atlas V mission helping build Amazon Leo, the company's answer to bringing reliable broadband to areas without good internet access. The constellation will eventually include more than 3,200 satellites working together to beam internet coverage across the globe.

Only 10 of the 80-plus planned launches have happened so far. Atlas V has flown six missions, SpaceX's Falcon 9 has launched three, and Europe's Ariane 6 rocket has completed one. Another Ariane 6 launch is scheduled for Wednesday morning from French Guiana.

The Ripple Effect

Reliable internet access transforms lives in ways most of us take for granted. Students in rural areas can access online learning. Small businesses can reach global markets. Families can connect with distant loved ones through video calls.

Amazon Leo competes with SpaceX's Starlink, and that competition benefits everyone. More options mean better prices and improved service for communities that have struggled with slow or nonexistent internet for years.

The pace is picking up too. Amazon launched its first four missions with 27 satellites each, then increased to 29 per flight starting this month. That's 58 satellites added to the network in less than a month.

Building a constellation of thousands of satellites takes patience and precision, but every successful launch brings faster internet closer to people who need it most.