Launch Preview: Starlink and Amazon Leo missions fill manifest

Date:
Mon, 25 May 2026 22:01:32 +0000

Description:
Six orbital launches are expected worldwide this week, headlined by four Falcon 9 Starlink missions The post Launch Preview: Starlink and Amazon Leo missions fill manifest appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Six orbital launches are expected worldwide this week, headlined by four Falcon 9 Starlink missions from SpaceXs launch facilities along the Florida and California coasts. Alongside Falcon 9, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V
is set to deploy 29 Amazon Leo satellites into low-Earth orbit, and a Chang Zheng 7A from China will deliver an undisclosed payload from Wenchang.



Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 10-47

SpaceX launched its first mission of the week on Monday, May 25, aboard a Falcon 9 vehicle from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) in Florida. The vehicle lifted off at 7:48 AM EDT (11:48 UTC), seven minutes into the four-hour launch window, delivering a batch of Starlink v2 Mini satellites to orbit.

Falcon 9 flew on a northeasterly trajectory to a low-Earth orbit (LEO) inclined 53.16 degrees. SpaceXs autonomous droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas recovered the first stage booster, B1078, downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. B1078 was on its 28th flight, having previously supported the SpaceX Crew-6 and 22 Starlink missions.



Falcon 9, SpaceXs partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle, utilizes two stages powered by Rocket Propellant-1 (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants. Falcon 9s first stage is powered by nine Merlin 1D engines,
while the expendable second stage is powered by a single Merlin 1D Vacuum engine.

Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-37

SpaceX will launch its second mission of the week from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in California on Tuesday, May 26, at 7:00 AM PDT (14:00 UTC). The four-hour launch window closes at 11:00 AM PDT (18:00 UTC).

Booster B1100, flying on its sixth mission, has previously supported five Starlink missions. Falcon 9 will fly on a southeasterly trajectory to a Sun-Synchronous orbit (SSO) at a near-polar inclination of 97.61 degrees. SpaceXs droneship Of Course I Still Love You will recover the first stage downrange in the Pacific.

Falcon 9 will deliver 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites for SpaceXs high-speed internet satellite constellation. Currently, over 10,000 satellites are located in SSO and LEO for the constellation. A Falcon 9 on the launch pad at SLC-4E at Vandenberg. (Credit: SpaceX)

Chang Zheng 7A | Unknown Payload

Chinas Chang Zheng 7A (CZ-7A) will launch an unidentified payload from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China on Tuesday, May 26, during a 45-minute launch window that opens at 16:15 UTC. Following launch, the rocket will travel on an easterly trajectory into an unknown orbit.

The CZ-7A is a liquid-fuelled medium-lift launch vehicle developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) that features three stages and four strap-on liquid boosters. The first two stages utilize RP-1 combined with LOX, while the third stage uses liquid hydrogen and LOX as propellants. The vehicle has a total liftoff thrust of 7,128 kN and can deliver up to 12,000 kg to LEO.

This mission will serve as the CZ-7As 15th overall mission and the first of 2026.

Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 10-53

SpaceXs third Starlink mission of the week is scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at CCSFS. The four-hour launch window opens at
7:52 AM EDT (11:52 UTC) on Friday, May 29. Falcon 9 will fly on a northeasterly trajectory to a LEO inclined 53.1 degrees, delivering 29 Starlink v2 Mini satellites to orbit.



SpaceXs east coast droneship, A Shortfall of Gravitas , will recover the
first stage booster, B1085, in the Atlantic Ocean. The mission will mark the boosters 16th flight, previously supporting SpaceXs Crew-9, Fram2, Blue
Ghost, and nine Starlink missions.

Atlas V 551 | Amazon Leo (LA-07)

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) is scheduled to launch an Atlas V 551 from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at CCSFS on Friday, May 29. The 29-minute launch window opens at 7:33 PM EDT (23:33 UTC). The vehicle will launch on a northeasterly trajectory into an orbit inclined by 51.9 degrees.

Atlas V is ULAs medium-lift expendable launch system. An RD-180 engine,
fueled by RP-1 and LOX, powers the first stage. The Centaur upper stage, powered by two RL10 engines, utilizes liquid hydrogen and LOX propellants. Up to five Graphite-Epoxy Motors (GEM-63) solid rocket boosters can be strapped to the first stage, and the Atlas V 551 utilizes five GEM-63s.

Atlas V will deliver 29 internet satellites to LEO for the Amazon Leo
internet constellation, formerly known as Project Kuiper. This mission will serve as the 109th overall Atlas V mission. Atlas V is scheduled to fly just two more Amazon Leo missions and the remaining Boeing Starliner flights
before being retired in favor of its replacement, ULAs Vulcan rocket. Atlas V received its payload of 29 satellites for the next United Launch Alliance mission to space for Amazon. The Leo 7 launch enables expansion of the Amazon Leo constellation to provide fast, reliable internet to communities around
the world. The launch is planned for Friday, pic.twitter.com/KvSNIK4j5b

ULA (@ulalaunch) May 15, 2026



Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 17-41

The weeks final mission is a Falcon 9 Starlink launch from SLC-4E at VSFB, scheduled to launch during a four-hour window starting at 7:00 AM PDT (14:00 UTC) on Saturday, May 30. Falcon 9 will follow a southerly trajectory into a SSO inclined 97.1 degrees. The Starlink v2 Mini satellites will use their Hall-effect thrusters to raise their orbital altitudes to 535 km.

Booster B1082, flying on its 22nd mission after a 45-day turnaround, will
land atop Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) downrange in the Pacific Ocean. This mission marks Falcon 9s 645th overall launch and its 62nd of the year,
as well as the 124th launch attempt worldwide in 2026.

(Lead image: An Atlas V 551 is prepared ahead of its May 29 launch of Amazon Leo satellites. Credit: ULA)



The post Launch Preview: Starlink and Amazon Leo missions fill manifest appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .



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Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/05/launch-preview-052526/


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