By BlueShift | 2026-02-16

Europe's newest Ariane 6 rocket variant delivered 32 satellites into orbit to join the Amazon Leo constellation (formerly Project Kuiper) on February 12 from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, in northeastern South America.

"Amazon, your package has been delivered," French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, speaking of a "European success."

"What a day, what a launch!" said Arianespace CEO David Cavailloles, adding that the operation proved the launcher's ability to "carry out the most complex missions."

It was the first flight for Ariane 64, and the sixth overall for the Ariane 6 series, operated by France-based Arianespace, Space.com reported.

It marks "our largest payload that we have launched to date," Amazon Leo's head of commercial development for Europe Martijn Van Delden told AFP.

"We're looking to then increase the payload every time we have a new mission, especially as more powerful boosters come online on Ariane 6," he said.

A critical partnership

To take on Amazon Leo's 32 satellites, the rocket was upgraded with four strap-on boosters, instead of the two used on the first five flights.

The upgrade is more cost-effective, is broadening fast internet networks to more customers, and strengthens the European space industry, Van Delden said.

Following Ariane's inaugural flight in 2024, four out of five anticipated launches took place in 2025 -- unprecedented for a new launcher, per ArianeGroup president Marc Sion.

Ariane 6 is seen as a symbol of European sovereignty in the sector, though the US-based Big Tech company is its main commercial partner.

The rocket is eventually expected to carry out 10 launches per year, but Eurospace research director Pierre Lionnet noted that at this stage this would not be possible without commercial customers like Amazon.

"Over time a sovereign European launcher cannot be primarily dependent on foreign markets," European Space Policy Institute director Ludwig Moeller told AFP.

But in the absence of European commercial customers -- many of whom work with rival US company SpaceX -- the Amazon partnership is crucial.

Amazon Leo's rollout

Amazon Leo was conceived seven years ago as Project Kuiper, with the stated goal of extending high speed internet and connectivity to billions of "unserved and underserved" people across the globe.

The constellation is still in its testing and pilot phase, and is focused on connecting enterprise, government and telecommunications partners before a wider commercial rollout.

It now has 175 satellites in low Earth orbit, and aims to expand its constellation to 3,200. Rival Starlink has nearly 9,400 satellites.

Amazon is supposed to meet a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deadline of having half its full constellation, roughly 1,600 satellites, in orbit by July, independent B2B digital media platform Light Reading said in December.

But the company is unlikely to come near that goal and is expected to file for a deadline extension, it said.

According to media reports, Amazon Leo expects to be able to offer services in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and the United States by March.

Partnerships are in place to serve Australia as well as countries in South America, and the company is actively working to bring the service to a number of other nations, including Vietnam and India.

Investing in India

But Amazon has faced criticism for downplaying a shift in focus, with a November 13 post announcing the Amazon Leo rebrand seen to favor enterprise and commercial customers over "unserved or underserved" communities.

With its rebrand, "the company has systematically stripped away every mention of 'affordability' and 'low prices' from its satellite internet messaging," The Tech Buzz website reported.

Newer messaging emphasizes 4K streaming and enterprise-ready features rather than low-cost rural access, which puts Amazon in direct competition with SpaceX's Starlink for high-value business contracts, per the website.

The company has continued to invest heavily in India, in December announcing it planned to invest $35 billion across all its businesses in India by 2030 -- nearly doubling its previous investment in the world's most populous nation.

"The investment will create one million jobs, boost cumulative exports to $80 billion, and deliver AI benefits to 15 million small businesses," the company said.

"We're excited to continue being a catalyst for India's growth," top Amazon official Amit Agarwal said.

The $35 billion India investment will go to fund digital infrastructure, which supports Amazon's global technology, including potentially Project Leo.

But there is no specific amount listed for satellite technology within the investment, and Amazon Leo is a separate global initiative, per The Tech Buzz.