United Launch Alliance (ULA) is an American launch service provider, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. As a launch provider, ULA designs, assembles, sells, and launches rockets like the Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur, providing access to space for national security payloads, commercial satellites, and deep-space exploration missions. Its primary customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, and commercial entities. Key activities involve launch services, rocket development, and partnerships with organizations like NASA and ESA for various space missions.
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United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur was grounded after a February 2026 anomaly during a Space Force mission.
United Launch Alliance had three Atlas V missions remaining under contract for Amazon Leo before transition to Vulcan Centaur.
By late April 2026, United Launch Alliance had completed six Atlas V missions for Amazon Leo.
Qualifying an alternative engine for United Launch Alliance’s Centaur V configuration would require a new certification campaign estimated at 24 to 36 months of testing and integration validation.
United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur carries National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 missions, including National Reconnaissance Office and GPS payloads.
United Launch Alliance began the Atlas V 551 rocket launch campaign at Cape Canaveral for Amazon Leo 7 on May 5, 2026.
The RL10 engine powers the upper stages of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur.
Blue Origin’s BE-3U engine is designed for the New Glenn vehicle and is not qualified for United Launch Alliance’s Centaur V stack.
NASA selected United Launch Alliance’s Centaur V upper stage as the replacement for the Space Launch System Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage beginning with Artemis IV.
Leo is next on the launch manifest for United Launch Alliance and Arianespace.
United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V launched 29 Amazon internet communications satellites from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Amazon launched 29 satellites into low Earth orbit on the Leo Atlas 6 (LA-06) mission using United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket.
Amazon Leo now has 270 satellites in orbit after the ULA mission.
United Launch Alliance launched 29 satellites for Amazon Leo on Monday evening in its sixth mission for the constellation.
ULA launched the satellites on an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 8:53 p.m. ET.
United Launch Alliance launched Amazon Leo LA-06 on Atlas V 551.
ULA’s Vulcan rocket and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket are currently grounded.
United Launch Alliance has LA-07 scheduled for May 22, 2026, 24 days after the LA-06 launch.
The April 4 Atlas V mission was ULA’s second launch for Amazon in April.
United Launch Alliance has initiated the countdown for the launch of its sixth Atlas V 551 rocket for the Amazon Leo broadband constellation.