The United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday, but a midflight failure prevented it from delivering Amazon.com Inc.’s satellites to orbit. This marks the first total mission loss for the space transportation company, raising concerns about an industry-wide rocket shortage amid surging demand.
The setback also complicates Amazon’s plans to launch its internet-from-space service, which aims to compete with Elon Musk’s dominant Starlink network. The failure highlights the challenges facing companies as they expand their satellite internet capabilities.
The incident occurred on November 13, 2026, and was reported by Bloomberg on November 15, 2026. The operational breakdown adds pressure on the space industry to address reliability issues as more players enter the market.