Following the explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket during a May 28 test fire, business got back to normal on Florida’s Space Coast, as both SpaceX and ULA launched rockets on satellite missions May 29.
After weather caused a slight delay, ULA closed Friday with an Atlas V rocket lofting 29 Amazon Leo internet satellites to orbit. The launch occurred at 7:53 p.m. from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Amazon Leo satellites were first launched atop a ULA Atlas V rocket in 2025 under the name of Project Kuiper and renamed Leo later in Nov. 2025. To date, ULA has launched 197 of the satellites across seven rocket launches.
“ULA has been a trusted launch partner since the beginning of the Amazon Leo program,” Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Atlas and Vulcan programs is quoted in a post launch press release. “Each mission we fly brings Amazon closer to enabling global connectivity, and we are proud to be a strategic partner launching the foundation of the commercial architecture for the Amazon Leo constellation.”
Amazon already has more than 300 of the Leo internet satellites in orbit in its first year after also using launches from SpaceX and Arianespace rockets to put them into orbit. Amazon aims to begin commercial service of its Leo internet later this year, with select businesses already testing the service.
Blue Origin New Glenn explosion may impact Amazon Leo
Amazon Leo satellites are slated to also launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which saw an explosive mishap on its Cape Canaveral launch pad during a May 28 static fire test.
With New Glenn’s launch pad heavily damaged, Amazon does have other options to get the satellites into orbit beyond Atlas V and SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
Amazon also planned to use ULA’s new generation rocket, Vulcan, which is currently undergoing its own investigation after a solid rocket booster anomaly during a February Space Force mission launch. While the rocket delivered the payload to orbit, sparks were seen coming from a solid rocket booster shortly after liftoff.
“The Vulcan uses the same engine as the New Glenn, and it’s had its own issues with solid rocket motor nozzles, too,” said Don Platt, an associate professor of space systems from Florida Institute of Technology.
Both Vulcan and New Glenn utilize the Blue Origin BE-4 engine on the first stage booster. Since the cause of the New Glenn explosion has not yet been determined, it remains unknown if it will have any impact on Vulcan being cleared to return to flight.
Then there’s the option of launching the satellites atop Arianespace’s Ariane 6 from French Guiana.
Platt noted that once operational, Amazon hopes its Leo satellite internet service will prove to be as lucrative as SpaceX’s Starlink.
Overall, the initial constellation calls for around 3000 internet-beaming satellites in orbit.
When is the next rocket launch from Florida?
The next rocket launch from Florida will come no earlier than 4:02 a.m. Wednesday, June 3 from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It will be a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a batch of the company’s Starlink satellites to orbit.
The FLORIDA TODAY Space Team will provide live updates beginning 90 minutes prior to liftoff at FloridaToday.com/Space.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: ULA closes out doubleheader launch day in Florida, following Blue Origin mishap
Reporting by Brooke Edwards, Florida Today / Florida Today
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