 | |
_(cropped).jpg) Vulcan Centaur in VC2S configuration ahead of its maiden flight | |
| Function | Heavy-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | United Launch Alliance |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | US$110 million (starting)[1] |
| Size | |
| Height | Standard: 61.6 m (202 ft) Long: 67.3 m (221 ft)[2] |
| Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft)[3] |
| Mass | 546,700 kg (1,205,300 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload toLEO | |
| Orbital inclination | 28.7° |
| Mass | 27,200 kg (60,000 lb)[4] |
| Payload toGTO | |
| Orbital inclination | 27° |
| Mass | 15,300 kg (33,700 lb)[4] |
| Payload toGEO | |
| Mass | 7,000 kg (15,000 lb)[4] |
| Payload toTLI | |
| Mass | 12,100 kg (26,700 lb)[4] |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Operational |
| Launch sites |
|
| Total launches | 4 |
| Success(es) | 4 |
| First flight | January 8, 2024[6] |
| Last flight | February 12, 2026(most recent) |
| Boosters –GEM-63XL | |
| No. boosters | 0, 2, 4, or 6[7] |
| Height | 21.98 m (865.3 in)[8] |
| Diameter | 1.62 m (63.7 in)[8] |
| Empty mass | 4,521 kg (9,966 lb)[8] |
| Gross mass | 53,030 kg (116,920 lb)[8] |
| Propellant mass | 47,853 kg (105,497 lb)[8] |
| Maximum thrust | 2,061 kN (463,249 lbf) each[8] |
| Total thrust | 12,364 kN (2,779,494 lbf) with 6 |
| Specific impulse | 280.3 s (2.749 km/s) |
| Burn time | 87.3 seconds[8] |
| Propellant | AP /HTPB /Al |
| First stage – Vulcan | |
| Height | 33.3 m (109 ft) |
| Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Empty mass | 28,600 kg (63,100 lb)[9] |
| Gross mass | 382,000 kg (842,000 lb)[9] |
| Powered by | 2 ×BE-4 |
| Maximum thrust | 4,893 kN (1,100,000 lbf)[10] |
| Specific impulse | 320 s (3.1 km/s) sea level[9] / 340 s (3.3 km/s) vac.[11] |
| Burn time | 299 seconds[12][13] |
| Propellant | LOX /CH4 |
| Second stage –Centaur V | |
| Height | |
| Diameter | 5.4 m (17.7 ft) |
| Empty mass | CV-HE: 7,100 kg (15,700 lb)[9] |
| Gross mass | CV-HE: 53,600 kg (118,200 lb)[9] |
| Powered by | |
| Maximum thrust |
|
| Specific impulse |
|
| Burn time | CV-HE: 1,077 seconds[10] |
| Propellant | LOX /LH2 |
Vulcan Centaur is aheavy-lift launch vehicle[a] developed and operated byUnited Launch Alliance (ULA). It is atwo-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle consisting of the Vulcan first stage and theCentaur V second stage. Replacing ULA'sAtlas V andDelta IV rockets, the Vulcan Centaur is principally designed to meet the needs of theNational Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, which supportsU.S. intelligence agencies and theDefense Department, but ULA believes it will also be able to price missions low enough to attract commercial launches.
ULA began development of the new launch vehicle in 2014, primarily to compete with SpaceX’sFalcon 9 and to comply with a Congressional mandate to phase out the use of the Russian-madeRD-180 engine that powered the Atlas V. The first launch of the Vulcan Centaur was initially scheduled for 2019 but faced multiple delays due to developmental challenges with its newBE-4 first-stage engine and the Centaur second-stage.[18]
The Vulcan Centaur had a near perfect first launch on January 8, 2024, carrying thePeregrine lunar lander, the first mission of NASA'sCommercial Lunar Payload Services program. Its second launch, a NSSL certification flight, took place on October 4, 2024, which achieved an acceptable orbital insertion, despite the nozzle on one of theGEM-63XL solid rocket boosters falling off which led to reduced, asymmetrical thrust. Following a five-month review of the launches, the Space Force certified the Vulcan for U.S. NSSL missions in March 2025.
The Vulcan Centaur re-uses many technologies from ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles,[19] with an aim to achieve better performance and lower production costs. Also, unlike vertically integrated competitors likeSpaceX andBlue Origin, ULA (itself a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin) relies heavily on subcontractors to build major components of the rocket.
The Vulcan'sfirst stage shares a common heritage with the Delta IV'sCommon Booster Core.[10]: 1–5 It is built in the sameDecatur, Alabama factory using much of the same manufacturing equipment, but is about 0.3 meters (1 ft) larger in diameter. The most significant change in the first stage is its use ofliquid methane (liquefied natural gas) as fuel in twoBE-4 engines developed by Blue Origin.[20][21] Compared to theliquid hydrogen used on the Delta IV, methane is denser and has a higher boiling point, allowing for smaller, lighter fuel tanks. It also burns cleaner than thekerosene used in the Atlas V, reducing hydrocarbon buildup in engines, which would facilitate refurbishment under the proposedSMART reuse system.[22][23]
The rocket's second stage, theCentaur V, is an upgraded version of theCentaur III used on the Atlas V offering enhanced performance. It is powered by twoRL10 engines fromAerojet Rocketdyne, fueled by liquid hydrogen.[24]
To further enhance payload capacity, the Vulcan Centaur can be equipped with up to sixGEM 63XL SRBs (solid rocket boosters) fromNorthrop Grumman—a lengthened version of the GEM 63 SRBs used on the Atlas V.[7][25]
A single-core Vulcan Centaur with six SRBs delivers heavy-lift capabilities comparable to the larger and more expensive three-core Delta IV Heavy. With a single core and six GEM boosters, the Vulcan Centaur can lift 27,200 kilograms (60,000 lb) tolow Earth orbit (LEO),[26] surpassing the Atlas V's maximum of 18,850 kg (41,560 lb) with a single core and five GEM boosters,[27] and approaching the 28,790 kg (63,470 lb) capacity of the three-core Delta IV Heavy.[28]
Beyond Gravity provides additional components, including theinterstage adapter,payload fairing, and payload attachment fitting, which secures the payload and fairings to the second stage until commanded to release. The company also supplies aheat shield to protect equipment.[29]
Designed to meet theNational Security Space Launch (NSSL) program's requirements, the Vulcan Centaur is also designed to be capable of achievinghuman-rating certification, enabling it to carry crewed spacecraft such as theBoeing Starliner orSierra Nevada Dream Chaser.[2][24][30]
ULA decided to develop the Vulcan Centaur in 2014 for two main reasons. First, its commercial and civil customers were flocking toSpaceX's cheaperFalcon 9reusable launch vehicle, leaving ULA increasingly reliant on U.S. military and spy agency contracts.[31][32] Second,Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 heightened Congressional discomfort with the Pentagon's reliance on the Atlas V, which used the made-in-RussiaRD-180 engine. In 2016, Congress would pass a law barring the military from procuring launch services based on the RD-180 engine after 2022.[33]
In September 2018, ULA announced that it had picked theBE-4 engine fromBlue Origin and fueled byliquid oxygen (LOX) andliquid methane (CH4) to replace the RD-180 on a new first-stage booster.[34] The engine was already in its third year of development, and ULA said it expected the new stage and engine to start flying as soon as 2019.[35] Two of the 2,400-kilonewton (550,000 lbf)-thrust BE-4 engines were to be used on a new launch vehicle booster.[35][36][37]
A month later, ULA restructured company processes and its workforce to reduce costs. The company said that the successor to Atlas V would blend existing Atlas V and Delta IV with a goal of halving the cost of the Atlas V rocket.[32]
In 2015, ULA announced the Vulcan rocket and proposed to incrementally replace existing vehicles with it.[38] Vulcan deployment was expected to begin with a new first stage based on the Delta IV's fuselage diameter and production process, and initially expected to use two BE-4 engines or theAerojet Rocketdyne AR1 as an alternative. The second stage was to be the existing Centaur III, already used on Atlas V. A later upgrade, theAdvanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES), was planned for introduction a few years after Vulcan's first flight.[38] ULA also revealed a design concept for reuse of the Vulcan booster engines, thrust structure and first stage avionics, which could be detached as a module from the propellant tanks afterbooster engine cutoff; the module wouldre-enter the atmosphere behind an inflatable heat shield.[39]
Through the first several years, the ULA board of directors made quarterly funding commitments to Vulcan Centaur development.[40] As of October 2018[update], the US government had committed about $1.2 billion in apublic–private partnership to Vulcan Centaur development, with plans for more once ULA concluded aNational Security Space Launch contract.[41]
By March 2016, theUnited States Air Force (USAF) had committed up to $202 million for Vulcan development. ULA had not yet estimated the total cost of development but CEOTory Bruno said that "new rockets typically cost $2 billion, including $1 billion for the main engine".[40] In March 2018, Bruno said the Vulcan-Centaur had been "75% privately funded" up to that point.[42] In October 2018, following a request for proposals and technical evaluation, ULA was awarded $967 million to develop a prototype Vulcan launch system as part of the National Security Space Launch program.[41]
In September 2015, it was announced BE-4 rocket engine production would be expanded[clarification needed] to allow more testing.[43] The following January, ULA was designing two versions of the Vulcan first stage; the BE-4 version has a 5.4 m (18 ft) diameter to support the use of the less dense methane fuel.[21] In late 2017, the upper stage was changed to the larger and heavier Centaur V, and the launch vehicle was renamed Vulcan Centaur.[42] In May 2018, ULA announced the selection ofAerojet Rocketdyne's RL10 engine for the Vulcan Centaur upper stage.[44] That September, ULA announced the selection of the Blue Origin BE-4 engine for Vulcan's first stage.[45][46] In October, the USAF released an NSSL launch service agreement with new requirements, delaying Vulcan's initial launch to April 2021, after an earlier postponement to 2020.[47][48]
In August 2019, the parts of Vulcan'smobile launcher platform (MLP) were transported[49] to theSpaceflight Processing Operations Center (SPOC) nearSLC-40 andSLC-41,Cape Canaveral,Florida. The MLP was fabricated in eight sections and moves at 3 mph (4.8 km/h) on rail bogies, standing 183 ft (56 m) tall.[50] In February 2021, ULA shipped the first completed Vulcan core booster to Florida for pathfinder tests ahead of the Vulcan's debut launch.[51] Testing continued proceeded with the pathfinder booster throughout that year.[52][53]
In August 2019, ULA said Vulcan Centaur would first fly in early 2021, carryingAstrobotic Technology'sPeregrine lunar lander.[37][54][55] By December 2020, the launch had been delayed to 2022 because of technical problems with the BE-4 main engine.[56][57] In June 2021, Astrobotic saidPeregrine would not be ready on time due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, delaying the mission and Vulcan Centaur's first launch; furtherPeregrine delays put the launch of Vulcan into 2023.[14][58][59] In March 2023, a Centaur V test stage failed during a test sequence. To fix the problem, ULA changed the structure of the stage and built a new Centaur for Vulcan Centaur's maiden flight.[60] In October 2023, ULA announced they aimed to launch Vulcan Centaur by year's end.[61]
.jpg)
On January 8, 2024, Vulcan lifted off for the first time. The flight used the VC2S configuration, with two solid rocket boosters and a standard-length fairing. A 4-minutetrans-lunar injection burn followed by payload separation put the Peregrine lander on a trajectory to the Moon. One hour and 18 minutes into the flight, the Centaur upper stage fired for a third time, sending it into aheliocentric orbit to test how it would behave in long missions, such as those required to send payloads togeostationary orbit.[62][63]
A failure in thePeregrine's propulsion system shortly after separation prevented it from landing on the Moon; Astrobotic said the Vulcan Centaur rocket performed without problems.[64]
On August 14, 2019, ULA won a commercial competition when it was announced the second Vulcan certification flight would be named SNC Demo-1, the first of sevenDream Chaser CRS-2 flights under NASA'sCommercial Resupply Services program. They will use the four-SRB VC4 configuration.[65] The SNC Demo-1 was scheduled for launch no earlier than April 2024.[66]
After Vulcan Centaur's second certification mission, the rocket will be qualified for use on U.S. military missions.[67] As of August 2020[update], Vulcan was to launch ULA's awarded 60% share ofNational Security Space Launch payloads from 2022 to 2027,[68] but delays occurred. TheSpace Force's USSF-51 launch in late 2022 was the first national security classified mission, but in May 2021 the spacecraft was reassigned to anAtlas V to "mitigate schedule risk associated with Vulcan Centaur non-recurring design validation".[69] For similar reasons, theKuiper Systems prototype flight was moved to an Atlas V rocket.[70]
After Vulcan's first launch in January 2024, developmental delays with theDream Chaser led ULA to contemplate replacing it with a mass simulator so Vulcan could move ahead with the certification required by its Air Force contract.[71]Bloomberg News reported in May 2024 that United Launch Alliance was accruing financial penalties due to delays in the military launch contracts.[72] On May 10, Air Force Assistant SecretaryFrank Calvelli wrote to Boeing and Lockheed executives. "I am growing concerned with ULA's ability to scale manufacturing of its Vulcan rocket and scale its launch cadence to meet our needs", Calvelli wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by theWashington Post. "Currently there is military satellite capability sitting on the ground due to Vulcan delays."[73] In June 2024, Bruno announced that Vulcan would make its second flight in September with amass simulator with some "experiments and demonstrations" to help develop future technology for the Centaur upper stage.[74]
Vulcan Centaur lifted off on the second of two flights needed to certify the rocket for future NSSL missions at 11:25 UTC on October 4, 2024. Approximately 37 seconds into the launch, thenozzle on one of thesolid rocket boosters (SRB) fell off resulting in a shower of debris in the exhaust plume. Although the SRB continued to function for its full 90-second burn, the anomaly led to reduced, asymmetrical thrust. This caused the rocket to slightly tilt before theguidance system and main engines successfully corrected and extended their burn by roughly 20 seconds to compensate. Despite the anomaly, the rocket achieved an acceptable orbital insertion.[75][76]
The nozzle anomaly added to the already extensive process required to certify the Vulcan for NSSL missions. Following a five-month review, the Space Force certified the Vulcan on March 26, 2025.[77]
Despite achieving certification, military officials have expressed sharp dissatisfaction with Vulcan's performance during its protracted development. In written testimony to theHouse Armed Services Committee in May 2025, Major GeneralStephen G. Purdy, said that the program had performed "unsatisfactorily" in the previous year. He noted that the slow transition from the retired Atlas and Delta vehicles to Vulcan had delayed four national security launches, hindering the completion of Space Force objectives. Purdy said that, moving forward, United Launch Alliance must "repair trust" and demonstrate greater accountability.[78]
ULA has four-character designations for the various Vulcan Centaur configurations. They start with VC for the Vulcan first stage and the Centaur upper stage. The third character is the number of SRBs attached to the Vulcan—0, 2, 4 or 6—and the fourth denotes the payload-fairing length: S for Standard (15.5 m [51 ft]) or L for Long (21.3 m [70 ft]).[79] For example, "VC6L" would represent a Vulcan first stage, a Centaur upper stage, six SRBs and a long-configuration fairing.[79] The Vulcan Centaur with two or six SRBs is the standard offering, with the zero and four SRB variants offered on a mission-unique basis.[2]
Starting in late 2025, ULA plans to upgrade the Centaur upper stage with theRL10E engine which will have a fixed nozzle extension and offer slightly increased thrust and specific impulse, offering minor improvements to payload capacities.[2][16]
The payload capacity of Vulcan Centaur versions are:[2][10]
| Version | SRBs | Payload mass to... | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISS[b] | SSO[c] | MEO[d] | GEO[e] | GTO[f] | Molniya[g] | TLI[h] | TMI[i] | ||
| VC0 | 0 | 8,800 kg (19,400 lb) | 7,900 kg (17,400 lb) | 300 kg (660 lb) | N/a | 3,300 kg (7,300 lb) | 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) | 2,100 kg (4,600 lb) | N/a |
| VC2 | 2 | 16,300 kg (35,900 lb) | 14,400 kg (31,700 lb) | 3,800 kg (8,400 lb) | 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) | 8,300 kg (18,300 lb) | 6,200 kg (13,700 lb) | 6,200 kg (13,700 lb) | 3,600 kg (7,900 lb) |
| VC4 | 4 | 21,400 kg (47,200 lb) | 18,500 kg (40,800 lb) | 6,100 kg (13,400 lb) | 4,800 kg (10,600 lb) | 11,600 kg (25,600 lb) | 8,900 kg (19,600 lb) | 9,100 kg (20,100 lb) | 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) |
| VC6 | 6 | 25,600 kg (56,400 lb) | 22,300 kg (49,200 lb) | 7,900 kg (17,400 lb) | 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) | 14,400 kg (31,700 lb) | 10,600 kg (23,400 lb) | 11,300 kg (24,900 lb) | 7,600 kg (16,800 lb) |
| VC6 (upgrade)[j] | 6 | 26,900 kg (59,300 lb) | TBA | 8,600 kg (19,000 lb) | 7,000 kg (15,000 lb) | 15,300 kg (33,700 lb) | TBA | 12,100 kg (26,700 lb) | 7,600 kg (16,800 lb) |
These capabilities reflect NSSL requirements, plus room for growth.[4][80]
A Vulcan Centaur with six solid rocket boosters can put 27,200 kilograms (60,000 lb) into low Earth orbit, nearly as much as the three-core Delta IV Heavy.[24]
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 8, 2024 07:18 | Vulcan CentaurVC2S | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | Peregrine lander | 1,283 kg (2,829 lb) | TLI | Astrobotic Technology | Success[81] |
| Enterprise (space burial) | Heliocentric | Celestis | ||||||
| Maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur and Vulcan CentaurVC2S Configuration.Certification-1 mission, the first of two launches needed to certify the rocket forNational Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. Payload fromCelestis, demonstrated engine restart capability of the Centaur upper stage delivering multiple payloads to different orbits. ThePeregrine payload failed in transit to the Moon, precluding a landing attempt, due to reasons unrelated to the launch vehicle.[82] | ||||||||
| 2 | October 4, 2024 11:25 | Vulcan CentaurVC2S | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | Mass simulator | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) | Heliocentric | United Launch Alliance | Success |
| Certification-2 mission, the second of two launches needed to certify the rocket for NSSL missions. Originally scheduled to carry the first flight ofDream Chaser; however, due to schedule delays with Dream Chaser, ULA flew amass simulator with experiments and demonstrations of futureCentaur V technologies.[83][84] Approximately 37 seconds into the launch, thenozzle on one ofsolid rocket boosters (SRB) fell off resulting in a shower of debris in the exhaust plume. Although the SRB continued to function for its full 90-second burn, the anomaly led to reduced, asymmetrical thrust. This caused the rocket to slightly tilt before theguidance system and main engines successfully corrected and extended their burn by roughly 20 seconds to compensate. Despite the anomaly, the rocket achieved nominal orbital insertion,[75][76] with the Space Force praising the launch and "the robustness of the total Vulcan system".[85] The nozzle anomaly was attributed to a manufacturing defect in a insulator located inside the nozzle.[86] | ||||||||
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | August 13, 2025 00:56 | Vulcan CentaurVC4S | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | USSF-106 (NTS-3 & TBA) | ~1,250 kg (2,760 lb) | GSO | U.S. Space Force | Success |
| USSF-106 mission.[87] Maiden flight of Vulcan CentaurVC4S Configuration.[88][89] First NSSL mission for Vulcan Centaur.[90] Carried Navigation Technology Satellite 3 (NTS-3), an experimental spacecraft to test technologies for next-generation GPS satellites. | ||||||||
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | February 12, 2026 09:22 | Vulcan CentaurVC4S[91] | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | USSF-87 | Unknown | GSO | U.S. Space Force | Success |
| PrimaryGSSAP 7 & 8 with multiple secondary payloads aboard Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar platform.[92] First launch to use the more efficient offsite vertical integration process; it was ULA’s longest mission to date, lasting nearly 10 hours from liftoff to end of mission.[93] An anomaly on one of four solid rocket boosters reduced performance, but the vehicle achieved nominal orbital insertion.[94] | ||||||||
Future launches are listed chronologically when firm plans are in place. The order of the later launches is much less certain.[95] Launches are expected to take place "no earlier than" (NET) the listed date.
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026[96][97][98] | Vulcan CentaurVC6L[89] | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | LeoSat × 45 (LV-01) | LEO | Amazon (Amazon Leo) |
| First of 38 Vulcan Centaur launches forAmazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper. First planned launch of Vulcan's most powerful configuration, VC6. | |||||
| March 2026[99] | Vulcan CentaurVC2S[100] | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | GPS III SV10[101] | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| FirstGPS mission for Vulcan Centaur.NSSL contract for FY2024. | |||||
| April 2026[102] | Vulcan CentaurVC6L[89] | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | LeoSat × 45 (LV-02) | LEO | Amazon (Amazon Leo) |
| Second of 38 Vulcan Centaur launches forAmazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper. | |||||
| May 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41[104] | USSF-57 (NG-OPIR-GEO 1) | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite. | |||||
| May 2026[105][106] | Vulcan CentaurVC2S | Vandenberg,SLC‑3E | SDA T1TR-B | LEO | SDA |
| Tranche 1 Tracking Layer B missile tracking satellites. First Vulcan launch from Vandenberg. | |||||
| June 2026[107] | Vulcan CentaurVC4 | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | NROL-64 | TBA | NRO |
| FirstNRO launch on Vulcan.[105] PossiblySunRISE 1-6 as secondary. | |||||
| July 2026[105] | Vulcan CentaurVC2S | Vandenberg,SLC‑3E | SDA T1TR-D | LEO | SDA |
| Tranche 1 Tracking Layer D missile tracking satellites. | |||||
| September 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Vandenberg,SLC‑3E | SDA T2TL-B | LEO | SDA |
| Tranche 2 Transport Layer B missile tracking satellites. | |||||
| Q4 2026[108] | Vulcan CentaurVC4L[89] | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | SSC Demo-1 (Dream ChaserTenacity) | LEO (ISS) | NASA (CRS) |
| First flight ofDream Chaser. Maiden flight of the Vulcan CentaurVC4L configuration. | |||||
| 2026[109] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | USSF-43 (LDPE-4 & TBA) | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Rapid On-orbit Space Technology Evaluation Ring (ROOSTER)-4[110] | |||||
| 2026[111][112][113] | Vulcan CentaurVC2L | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | WGS-11 (PTS-P1) | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Military communications satellite. Maiden flight of the Vulcan CentaurVC2L configuration. Protected Tactical Satcom prototype payload. The PTS payload will fly on dedicated Northrop Grumman built ESPAStar-HP satellite bus. | |||||
| 2026[111] | Vulcan CentaurVC4S | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | USSF-112 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2026[109] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | USSF-23 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2026[109] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | USSF-16 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2026[105] | Vulcan Centaur | Vandenberg,SLC‑3E | USSF-114 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2026[105] | Vulcan Centaur | Vandenberg,SLC‑3E | NROL-83 | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO payload. First announced Vulcan Centaur launch from Vandenberg. | |||||
| 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41[104] | Silentbarker 2A, 2B, 2C (NROL-118) | GEO | U.S. Space Force (NRO) |
| Classified USSF & NRO partnered program. | |||||
| 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41[104] | NROL-56 | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO payload. | |||||
| 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Vandenberg,SLC‑3E[104] | NROL-73 | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO payload. | |||||
| 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Vandenberg,SLC‑3E[104] | NROL-100 | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO payload. | |||||
| 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41[104] | NROL-109 | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO payload. | |||||
| 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41[104] | STP-5 | LEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Two satellites for Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office[114] | |||||
| 2026[103] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41[104] | Missile Track Custody 1 (USSF-95) | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| First launch of Missile Track Custody satellites. | |||||
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2027[115] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | GPS IIIF-1[101] | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| FirstGPS Block IIIF navigation satellite. | |||||
| Q2 2027[115] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | GPS IIIF-2[101] | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Also designated USSF-49 under NSSL. | |||||
| 2027[116] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | USSF-50 (NG-OPIR-GEO 2) | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite. | |||||
| 2027 | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | NROL-88[117] | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO Mission. | |||||
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2028[115] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | GPS IIIF-3[101] | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Also designated USSF-15 under NSSL. | |||||
| Q3 2028[115] | Vulcan Centaur | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | GPS IIIF-4[118] | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Also designated USSF-88 under NSSL. | |||||
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD[119] | Vulcan CentaurVC4L[89] | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | SSC CRS-1 to CRS-5 | LEO (ISS) | NASA (CRS) |
| 5Dream Chaser launches on contract. | |||||
| TBD[96] | Vulcan CentaurVC6L[89] | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑41 | LeoSat × 45 (LV-03 to LV-38) | LEO | Amazon (Amazon Leo) |
| 38 Vulcan Centaur launches ordered forAmazon Leo. | |||||
ULA plans to continually improve the Vulcan Centaur. The company plans to introduce its first upgrades in 2025, with subsequent improvements occurring roughly every two to three years.[1]
Since 2015, ULA has spoken of several technologies that would improve the Vulcan launch vehicle's capabilities. These include first-stage improvements to make the most expensive components potentially reusable and second-stage improvements to allow the rocket to operate for months in Earth-orbitcislunar space.[120]
The ACES upper stage—fueled with liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) and powered by up to four rocket engines with the engine type yet to be selected—was a conceptual upgrade to Vulcan's upper stage at the time of the announcement in 2015. This stage could be upgraded to include Integrated Vehicle Fluids technology that would allow the upper stage to function in orbit for weeks instead of hours. The ACES upper stage was cancelled in September 2020,[38][121] and ULA said the Vulcan second stage would now be the Centaur V upper stage: a larger, more powerful version of the Dual Engine Centaur upper stage used by the Atlas V N22.[24][120] A senior executive at ULA said the Centaur V design was also heavily influenced by ACES.[24][122]
However, ULA said in 2021 that it is working to add more value to upper stages by having them perform tasks such as operating as space tugs. CEO Tory Bruno says ULA is working on upper stages with hundreds of times the endurance of those currently in use.[122]
On August 28, 2025, in an infographic by ULA posted by Tory Bruno, a variant of Centaur V was referred as "ACES", this time standing for "Advanced Centaur Endurance Stage". Few details were provided about this updated ACES concept, other than a mention of "Smart Propulsion", which was not further explained[123]
A method of main engine reuse called Sensible Modular Autonomous Return Technology (SMART) is a proposed upgrade for Vulcan Centaur. In the concept, the booster engines, avionics, and thrust structure detach as a module from the propellant tanks after booster engine cutoff. The engine module then falls through the atmosphere protected by aninflatable heat shield. After parachute deployment, the engine section splashes down, using the heat shield as a raft.[124] Before 2022, ULA intended to catch the engine section using a helicopter.[124] ULA estimated this technology could reduce the cost of the first-stage propulsion by 90% and 65% of the total first-stage cost.[39][124] Although SMART reuse was not initially funded for development,[120] from 2021 the higher launch cadence required to launch theProject Kuiper mega constellation provided support for the concept's business case.[125] Consequently, ULA has stated that it plans to begin testing the technology during its launches of the satellite internet constellation, with timing of the tests to be agreed upon with Amazon, the developer of Project Kuiper.[1]
In September 2020, ULA announced they were studying a "Vulcan Heavy" variant with three booster cores. Speculation about a new variant had been rampant for months after an image of a model of that version popped on social media. ULA CEO Tory Bruno later tweeted a clearer image of the model and said it was the subject of ongoing study.[24][126]
During the Vulcan Cert-2 mission broadcast on October 4, 2024, ULA announced plans to develop a "LEO Optimized Centaur", scheduled to launch aboard a Vulcan in 2025.[127] On August 28, 2025, it was revealed that this Centaur V variant, now designated CV-L, is 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) shorter than the original Centaur V, now renamed CV-HE (Centaur V High Energy). Unlike the CV-HE, which uses a hydrolox-fueled reaction control system (RCS), the CV-L will employ ahydrazine-fueled RCS.[123]
Methane rocket has a lower density so we have a 5.4 meter design outside diameter, while drop back to the Atlas V size for the kerosene AR1 version.
We chose LNG because it is highly efficient, low cost and widely available. Unlike kerosene, LNG can be used to self-pressurize its tank. Known as autogenous repressurization, this eliminates the need for costly and complex systems that draw on Earth's scarce helium reserves. LNG also possesses clean combustion characteristics even at low throttle, simplifying engine reuse compared to kerosene fuels.
"ACES work has its fingerprints in our new version of Centaur, the Centaur 5 we're fielding with Vulcan. Those studies five, eight years ago certainly served us well, and it put us on a good path forward here for the evolution of our upper stages. We will continue to evolve our upper stage to meet the needs of the market going forward".
...a U.S. produced rocket engine under development for ULA's Vulcan launch vehicle is experiencing technical challenges related to the igniter and booster capabilities required and may not be qualified in time to support first launches beginning in 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.table 10 of page 27
It was a successful Cert flight, and now we're knee deep in finalizing certification
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