
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket will launch its heaviest-ever payload on Saturday morning (April 4), and you can watch the action live.
The Atlas V is scheduled to lift off Saturday at 1:45 a.m. EDT (0545 GMT) from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying 29 satellites for the Amazon Leo broadband constellation to orbit. Together, those spacecraft weigh 18 tons, according to ULA.
You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of ULA, or directly via the company. Coverage will begin 20 minutes before launch.
The Amazon Leo megaconstellation, previously known as Project Kuiper, will eventually consist of about 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit. It's Amazon's answer to SpaceX's Starlink network, which beams internet service down from more than 10,000 satellites (and counting).
Amazon Leo is still in its early stages; just 212 of the spacecraft have reached orbit to date over the course of eight launches (not counting a 2023 liftoff that sent up two prototype satellites).
The Atlas V has flown four of those operational missions. Three employed SpaceX's Falcon 9, and the other one used Arianespace's Ariane 6 heavy lifter.
Saturday's launch, which Amazon calls LA-05, will be the first Atlas V mission to loft 29 Amazon Leo satellites; the others carried 27 of the spacecraft.
"The increase is a result of detailed engineering work between Amazon Leo and ULA, and is made possible by a new, higher-performing version of the RL10C engine used on the rocket's Centaur upper stage," Amazon representatives wrote in a mission description. "While the engine has flown on previous missions, LA-05 marks the first time the program has completed the extensive engineering and safety analysis required to use it with our larger payload."
And that payload is larger in a significant way, according to the LA-05 mission description: "With 29 satellites aboard, LA-05 will mark the heaviest payload ever flown on an Atlas V."
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Tech Patterns: Contraptions That Will Shape What's in store - 2
Young Muslims in Germany feel left out of Mideast debate, experts say - 3
Israel's haredi draft crisis: Court ruling and political stalemate reach breaking point - 4
Artemis II astronauts say they're "ready to go" for moon launch - 5
FDA approves Wegovy pill for weight loss: What to know
Old video misrepresented as senior Sri Lankan ruling party member criticising president over fuel shortage
Tatiana Schlossberg's diagnosis puts spotlight on leukemia: What to know
South Korea president says Iran war shows the need to ditch ‘extremely risky’ fossil fuels
The Ascent of Robots: Occupations That Man-made brainpower Might Dispense with
Lebanon says Israeli strike killed 13 people near Palestinian refugee camp
The Best Internet based Retailers for Style and Frill
Lily Allen 2026 'West End Girl' arena tour: How to get tickets, prices and more
Air Force made critical errors during October 7 massacre, investigator says
When is MLK Day? Plus, the dates of when other federal holidays land in 2026.













