ULA Plans Vulcan Return to Flight With 40 Amazon Leo Satellites

At a glance

ULA's Vulcan rocket is set to fly again for the first time in nine months. It will carry 40 Amazon Leo internet satellites into orbit on Friday, November 13. The rocket was grounded after a solid rocket booster failure led the U.S. government to pause its use.

Key points

1. 1

   This launch is the first to use a redesigned booster nozzle, the part that caused the failures.

2. 2

   The rocket will fly with six solid rocket boosters, the first Vulcan to do so.

3. 3

   The satellites are set to separate about 70 minutes after liftoff, roughly 285 miles up, over about 25 minutes.

4. 4

   An investigation into the February failure is still open, so the results of this flight matter.

Why it matters

Amazon's satellite internet business and the reliability of U.S. launch systems depend on this flight, which matters to readers following the space industry.