Upgraded Ariane 6 boosters will allow the rocket to carry 36 Amazon Leo satellites compared to 32 on previous launches. Credit: Amazon Leo
WASHINGTON — Amazon will fly its largest number of broadband satellites to date later this month on the first Ariane 6 launch to use upgraded boosters.
Amazon announced June 5 that it will fly 36 Amazon Leo satellites on an Ariane 64 launch from French Guiana scheduled for June 17. The LE-03 mission, as designated by Amazon, will be the third consecutive Ariane 6 launch to carry Amazon satellites, after launches in February and April.
The LE-03 mission, though, will be the first Ariane 6 to use P160C solid rocket boosters, upgraded versions of the P120C boosters used on previous Ariane 6 launches. The P160C boosters are 1 meter longer than the P120C boosters, and the four boosters combined enable the rocket to increase its low Earth orbit payload performance by more than two metric tons.
That allows Amazon to fly more satellites on this launch: 36, compared with the 32 carried on the two previous Ariane 6 flights.
