Tag: ULA

ULA’s New Vulcan Centaur Rocket Successfully Launches in 2nd Test

SPACE reports, “United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) powerful new Vulcan Centaur rocket is two for two. Vulcan Centaur, the successor to ULA’s workhorse Atlas V, launched today (Oct. 4) at 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT)after a series of holds, from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, kicking off a key test flight called Cert-2. The rocket could soon be certified for U.S. national security missions.”
Full Story (SPACE)

 

Video

Vulcan Centaur rocket launches on 2nd test flight (Launch at 00:10 mark)
(VideoFromSpace; YouTube)

ULA Preparing New Vulcan Centaur Rocket for 1st Space Force Mission

SPACE reports United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket is set for its first U.S. Space Force mission, promising cost-effective launches and advanced technology.  “In late 2024 or early 2025, United Launch Alliance (ULA)’s Vulcan Centaur rocket will fly its first of more than two dozen U.S. Space Force missions allocated under a national security space launch contract.”
Full Story (SPACE)

ULA Launches Atlas 5 On Its 100th National Security Mission

Spaceflight Now reports, “United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket marked its swan song when it comes to launching critical missions connected to U.S. national security. A launch at dawn sent up a classified payload as part of the United States Space Force-51 (USSF-51) mission, marking the 100th such operation for ULA. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) happened Tuesday, July 30, 6:45 a.m. EDT (1045 UTC).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

 

Video

SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral on Falcon 9 rocket
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)

ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Rocket Set to Launch on January 8

Gizmodo reports United Launch Alliance’s “202-foot-tall (61.6-meter) Vulcan Centaur rocket is set to launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral” on Monday, January 8. According to Gizmodo, this is a “huge deal, as it marks the debut of ULA’s first new rocket design in 18 years. While the (mostly) expendable Vulcan Centaur may not be revolutionary from a technological perspective, it represents a significant evolutionary step for ULA.”
Full Story (Gizmodo)

ULA Vulcan Centaur Rocket’s Maiden Launch Delayed to January

SPACE reports that the premiere “of the Space Coast’s newest launch vehicle, carrying a moon lander aiming for the first commercial touchdown, will likely slip to the beginning of 2024.” United Launch Alliance (ULA) “performed a wet dress rehearsal (WDR) of the company’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket over the weekend, which includes loading propellant into the spacecraft and running through launch-day procedures up to the moments before engine ignition.” However, the test did not go to plan. A social media post from ULA CEO Tory Bruno Sunday indicated the test “ran the timeline long so we didn’t quite finish.” Vulcan’s first launch, “which includes the rocket’s Centaur second stage, was scheduled for Dec. 24 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in coastal Florida.” But the incomplete WDR “means that window is likely out.” The next window “opens Jan. 8, and will last four days, the CEO clarified in a follow-up post.” Each of those opportunities “include an instantaneous launch window to accommodate the mission’s main payload: Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander, headed for the moon.”
Full Story (SPACE)

Delta Rocket Makes Final Flight

Ars Technica reports, “The final flight of United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket took off Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a classified spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. The Delta IV Heavy, one of the world’s most powerful rockets, launched for the 16th and final time Tuesday. It was the 45th and last flight of a Delta IV launcher and the final rocket named Delta to ever launch, ending a string of 389 missions dating back to 1960.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)

 

 

 

Videos

Delta IV Heavy launches for final time with secret US spy satellite, 9 April 2024
(VideoFromSpace; YouTube)

ULA Vulcan Unlikely to Launch Again Until Fall

Ars Technica reports, “After the impressive debut of the Vulcan rocket in January, it is unclear when the heavy lift vehicle will fly again. The uncertainty is due to a couple of factors, including the rocket’s readiness and, perhaps more critically, what will fly on top of it.”

Full Story (Ars Technica)

June 1 Set as New Target Date for Starliner’s Crew Flight Test

Spaceflight Now reports that the latest launch date was announced late Wednesday evening, following a Tuesday night notice that May 25 was off the table. Liftoff of the Atlas 5 rocket on June 1 is set for 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 UTC). A press briefing is now set for Friday, May 24, at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) to discuss the work done and the path forward to launch. “Williams and Wilmore continue to remain in quarantine in Houston, Texas, and have spent the additional weeks conducting further simulator training to prepare for the mission.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test Cleared for June 1 Launch

SPACE reports, “The first-ever astronaut launch of Boeing’s Starliner capsule, known as Crew Flight Test, is ‘go’ for its planned June 1 launch, NASA announced today (May 29). CFT will send NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS) for a roughly week-long stay. The mission is set to launch atop a ULA Atlas V rocket on Saturday at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, on Florida’s Space Coast.”
Full Story (SPACE)

Space Force Assigns 21 Launch Missions to ULA, SpaceX as Part of NSSL Phase 2 Contract

Space News reports that on October 31, Space Systems Command “announced 21 launch missions have been assigned to United Launch Alliance and SpaceX as part of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract the companies won in 2020. These missions assigned for fiscal year 2024 mark the fifth and final year of the Phase 2 contract. Of the 21 missions, ULA received 11 and SpaceX 10. These missions are projected to launch over the next two to three years.” Col. Chad Melone, senior materiel leader for mission solutions at the Space Systems Command, said, “Under our Phase 2 contract, ULA and SpaceX have been committed partners, and our combined team remains dedicated to delivery of critical assets to our warfighters as we complete this phase of the NSSL program and embark on NSSL Phase 3 starting in FY25.
Full Story (Space News)

Vulcan Rolled Out to Launchpad for Final Series of Tests Ahead of its Debut Launch

Aviation Week (5/11) reports that a “United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan-Centaur rocket was rolled out to its launchpad on May 11 for a final series of tests ahead of its debut launch, targeted for this summer.” Space News reports ULA said on Thursday that the “Vulcan is in position atop SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to undergo a full launch day rehearsal tomorrow and flight readiness firing test of its main engines planned for next week.” ULA CEO Tory Bruno tweeted on Wednesday that the “Vulcan was returning to tanking tests although the investigation of a Centaur upper-stage testing anomaly that occurred on March 29 has not yet been completed.” Bruno said that “ULA plans to livestream the flight-readiness test firing of the BE-4 main engines. The test fire is expected to last about six seconds, he said. ‘A short burn, but a very long time to be on the pad.’”
Full Story (Aviation Week); More Info (Space News)

Amazon Switches to Atlas V Rocket for First Project Kuiper Satellite Launch

Bloomberg reports Amazon “said it plans to launch the first two test satellites for its Project Kuiper constellation this fall on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, rather than its next-generation Vulcan, as previously planned.” The change “comes amid repeated delays of the debut launch of Vulcan, which has been in development for much of the last decade.” Space News reports spokesman James Watkins said the target launch date is September 26.
Full Story (Bloomberg); More Info (Space News)

Terran, Safran to Partner on Satellite Propulsion

Space News reports that satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital “has signed an agreement with French aerospace giant Safran to explore U.S.-based production of satellite propulsion systems, the companies announced June 23.” Under the agreement, Safran Electronics & Defense and Terran Orbital “will investigate opportunities and prerequisites for the production of electric propulsion systems for satellites based on Safran’s PPSX00 plasma thruster.” The PPSX00 “is a hall effect plasma thruster, recently introduced by Safran for the low Earth orbit satellite market.” Safran said, “Plasma propulsion has become the go-to solution for satellite positioning, orbital transfer and stationkeeping, because it offers significant weight savings over conventional chemical propulsion.”
Full Story (Space News)

ULA’s Delta 4 Heavy Launches NRO Satellite

Space News reports that United Launch Alliance “launched a classified National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite on a Delta 4 Heavy rocket June 22 at 5:18 a.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex-37 (SLC-37) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.” It was ULA’s second attempt “of this launch that had been previously scheduled for June 21 but was delayed, the company said, ‘due to an issue with a ground systems pneumatic valve.’” About four minutes into flight, “the outer boosters of the three-core Delta 4 Heavy separated.” The second stage “separated about two minutes later.” This mission was “ULA’s first launch of 2023.” The company in May 2019 “received a U.S. Air Force contract to launch NROL-68.” The Delta 4 Heavy configuration “first launched in December 2004.” Each of the Delta 4 Heavy’s common booster cores “is powered by Aerojet [Rocketdyne’s] RS-68A main engines.” The Delta cryogenic second stage “is powered by an RL10C-2-1 engine.”
Full Story (Space News)

ULA Prepares for First Vulcan Centaur Launch

The Orlando (FL) Sentinel reports that United Launch Alliance “has its missing rocket piece in hand at Cape Canaveral and all systems are go for a Christmas Eve launch to mark the debut of its Vulcan Centaur rocket.” A new Centaur upper stage “arrived by barge to the Space Coast on Monday, a replacement for the stage ULA originally planned to fly on the Certification-1 mission this past May.” That initial flight, “already delayed for nearly two years, was again put on hold after an issue with a test version of the Centaur stage was destroyed amid a massive fireball in the spring, requiring design changes to ensure a repeat didn’t happen during actual liftoff.” ULA has been anxious “to get this debut launch off the ground with its primary payload of Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lunar lander, part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services missions.” The lander “traveled from Astrobotic’s headquarters in Pittsburgh arriving to the Space Coast on Oct. 31.”
Full Story (Orlando Sentinel)

Space Force to Increase Rocket Launch Purchases

CNBC reported the US Space Force “plans to buy even more rocket launches from companies in the coming years than previously expected, granting more companies a chance at securing billions in potential contracts.” Amid increasing need to improve “military capabilities in space,” the US plans to “almost triple the number of launches in Phase 3 that it bought in Phase 2 in 2020.”
Full Story (CNBC)