On June 17, the European Ariane 6 launch vehicle will take off for the first time with new, more powerful solid rocket boosters. This will enable Europe’s largest rocket to carry 36 internet satellites from the technology company Amazon, making the mission the largest of its kind to date for Ariane 6. The Beyond Gravity dispenser system from Linköping will deploy 36 satellites into space.
On Wednesday, June 17, the European Ariane 6 launch vehicle will lift off from the European spaceport in French Guiana (South America). For the first time, it will fly with the new, more powerful P160C solid rocket boosters, which give the rocket additional thrust and make it the most powerful European rocket ever launched. This leap in performance is directly reflected in the mission: For the first time, Ariane 6 will transport a total of 36 Amazon Leo internet satellites into low Earth orbit – four more satellites than on the previous flight for the technology company Amazon. “Our dispenser from Linköping will deploy all 36 satellites into space. Missions of this scale are only possible through the close collaboration of many partners. We are proud to contribute to this mission with our dispenser system, helping ensure that the satellites can be deployed safely and precisely into orbit”, says Ulrika Unell, Vice President Beyond Gravity Launchers Separation Systems Linköping.
Dispenser places all 36 satellites into space
All 36 Amazon Leo satellites will be deployed with a dispenser system developed and produced at Beyond Gravity’s facility in Linköping. The modular deployment system was developed to efficiently and precisely place multiple satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). This dispenser system has already been successfully used in previous missions on other launch vehicles. The modular deployment system forms the mechanical interface between the launch vehicle and the satellites. In total, Swedish technology from Linköping has placed more than 1’600 satellites into space.
Soon more than 360 Amazon Leo satellites in orbit
The ability to transport more satellites per launch reduces the cost of expanding the Amazon satellite fleet and significantly increases the efficiency of the missions. The third Ariane 6 flight for Amazon Leo, Leo Europe 3 (LE-03) also marks a significant milestone: After this flight, Arianespace will have placed a total of 100 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit; following this flight, there will be more than 360 Amazon Leo satellites in space.
About Amazon Leo
LE-03 is the third in a series of 18 planned Amazon Leo launches aboard Ariane 6. Amazon Leo – formerly known as Project Kuiper- is Amazon’s global satellite initiative to build a high-performance broadband network in low Earth orbit. The program’s goal is to provide fast and reliable internet access worldwide, particularly in regions that currently have no or only limited access to traditional terrestrial communication networks. To achieve this, a constellation of over 3,000 satellites is being developed. The network is intended to benefit schools, hospitals, businesses, and government institutions in underserved areas and, in the long term, help bridge the digital divide.