The mission failure occurred approximately 10 minutes into the flight, marking a significant setback for the launch provider and its commercial client.
Mission Failure at Cape Canaveral
The rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 12:40 p.m. ET. The 214-foot-tall vehicle ascended on 3.8 million pounds of thrust generated by two methane-burning BE-4 engines and six Northrop Grumman strap-on solid-fuel boosters.
Based on data received by our Launch Director, we confirm that the Vulcan vehicle launched from Space Launch Complex 41 suffered an anomaly 10 minutes into the flight and failed to deliver the Amazon mission to orbit. Every flight generates data, and every flight teaches us…
Roughly 10 minutes into the flight, however, the vehicle experienced a malfunction during the Centaur upper stage firing. ULA confirmed the loss of the mission 50 minutes after liftoff, noting that the vehicle failed to deliver the satellites to their intended orbit.
“Based on data received by our Launch Director, we confirm that the Vulcan vehicle launched from Space Launch Complex 41 suffered an anomaly 10 minutes into the flight and failed to deliver the Amazon mission to orbit,” ULA said.
The launch of a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket carrying the Amazon Leo 1 mission is delayed due to a power interruption in the Air Liquide gaseous nitrogen (GN2) plant which resulted in the loss of their high-pressure pumps. Without confirmation of sustained commodity flow,… pic.twitter.com/e6fHPwG6LO
This mission, designated Vulcan Leo 1, was the first of 38 flights Amazon has contracted with ULA to deploy its planned constellation of 3,200 satellites. The flight served as a return-to-service mission for the Vulcan, which had been grounded for nine months following an anomaly during a February 2026 national security launch.
In that earlier incident, a nozzle on one of the solid rocket boosters burned through and detached shortly after liftoff, though the payload successfully reached orbit. ULA identified several potential contributors which have been mitigated through design and process improvements to the nozzle.
The launch of a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket carrying the Amazon Leo 1 mission is delayed due to a network communication issue between the ground equipment and the launch vehicle that requires reconfiguration that would extend the hold beyond the 29-minute launch window.…
Power Interruption at Nitrogen Plant Delayed Launch
The launch faced multiple challenges before finally clearing the pad on Sunday. An initial attempt scheduled for November 13 was scrubbed due to a power interruption at an Air Liquide gaseous nitrogen plant, which cut deliveries to the launch complex.
ULA officials said that they currently lack sufficient data to understand the specific cause of the Sunday failure. The firm is now working with its customer and other organizations to investigate the incident and determine necessary corrective actions.
Amazon’s Expanding Satellite Constellation
Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega-constellation of satellites managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. The network is designed to provide high-speed broadband internet access to homes and businesses in areas currently underserved by terrestrial infrastructure.
As of April 2024, Amazon had already deployed nearly 400 satellites using the Atlas V, SpaceX’s Falcon 9, and Arianespace’s Ariane 6 rockets. The company reached a milestone in September 2026 by completing the manufacture of its 1,000th satellite.
United Launch Alliance ended the webcast of its return to flight Vulcan mission, carrying Amazon LEO satellites, early and before payload deploy. Not a great sign, but we don't know what happened yet.https://t.co/g5ES2ZdRqr
Amazon has invested heavily in Florida’s Space Coast to facilitate these launches, including the construction of a dedicated Vertical Integration Facility, VIF-A, and a new mobile launch platform. Despite the loss of the LV-01 mission, Amazon expressed continued confidence in its launch partner.
“There is risk with any launch, and that’s especially true for inaugural missions like LV-01. ULA has been a trusted partner for Amazon, and we believe they’ll learn from this mission and deliver on their long-term plans for Vulcan,” the company stated via X.
And LIFTOFF of the first Vulcan Amazon Leo mission, carrying 40 broadband satellites to low Earth orbit! pic.twitter.com/dv1MSjJUMF
The failure places ULA in a difficult position as it attempts to establish the Vulcan as its principal rocket for commercial and national security missions. The company had previously relied on the Atlas V to fulfill its launch manifests, with ULA already launching eight LEO flights using Atlas 5 rockets.
Other providers, such as Blue Origin, have also faced delays; an on-pad explosion at Launch Complex 36 damaged the pad intended for the New Glenn rocket, which is not expected to fly again until 2027. Consequently, the space industry and the U.S. Space Force remain closely focused on ULA’s efforts to identify the cause of the Vulcan’s latest anomaly and return the vehicle to regular service.
