ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Launches First National Security Mission

SPACENEWS -  United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket lifted off Aug. 12 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying the U.S. Space Force’s USSF-106 mission. The launch marked Vulcan’s first flight for the National Security Space Launch program, a milestone that comes after years of development and certification delays.

Vulcan lifted off at 8:56 p.m. Eastern. The launch took place near the end of a one-hour launch window.

Vulcan is ULA’s next-generation launch vehicle, intended to replace both the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 families. The rocket’s first stage is powered by two BE-4 engines built by Blue Origin, fueled by liquid methane and liquid oxygen. Its Centaur V upper stage uses two Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

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