 | |
 Atlas V 551 launch withJuno spacecraft | |
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Space |
| Founded | December 1, 2006; 18 years ago (2006-12-01) |
| Headquarters | Centennial, Colorado, United States |
Key people | Tory Bruno (CEO) |
| Products |
|
| Revenue | US$1.3 billion (2022)[1] |
| US$200 million (2022)[1] | |
| Owner | Lockheed Martin Space (50%) Boeing Defense, Space & Security (50%) |
Number of employees | 2,700 (2024) |
| Website | ulalaunch |
United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA) is an Americanlaunch service provider formed in December 2006 as a joint venture betweenLockheed Martin Space andBoeing Defense, Space & Security. The company designs, assembles, sells and launches rockets. The company usesrocket engines,solid rocket boosters, and other components supplied by other companies.
When founded, the company inherited theAtlas V rocket from Lockheed Martin and theDelta rocket family from Boeing. As of 2024, the Delta family has been retired and the Atlas V is in the process of being retired. ULA began development of theVulcan Centaur in 2014 as replacement for both the Atlas and Delta rocket families. The Vulcan Centaur completed its maiden flight in January 2024.
The primary customers of ULA are theDepartment of Defense (DoD) andNASA, but it also serves commercial clients.
Boeing and Lockheed Martin announced on May 2, 2005, that they would establish a 50/50joint venture, United Launch Alliance (ULA), to consolidate their space launch operations.[2]
The two companies had long competed for launch services contracts from the DoD, and their Atlas and Delta rockets were the two launch vehicles selected under theEvolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The DoD had hoped the program would foster the creation of a strong, competitive commercial launch market. However, both companies said that this competition had made space launches unprofitable.[3] Boeing's future in the program was also threatened in 2003 when it was found to be in possession of proprietary documents from Lockheed Martin.[4][5] To endlitigation and competition, both companies agreed to form the ULA joint venture. During the renewal of the EELV contract, the DoD said the merger would provide annual cost savings of $100–150 million.[6]
SpaceX attempted to challenge the merger on anti-trust grounds, saying it would create a space launch monopoly.[7] TheFederal Trade Commission ultimately granted ULA anti-trust clearance, prioritizing national security access to space over potential competition concerns.[8][9]
Michael Gass was announced as the first CEO of ULA and oversaw the merger of the two groups. Production was consolidated into one central plant inDecatur, Alabama while all engineering was moved into a facility inLittleton, Colorado.[10] The parent companies retained responsibility for marketing and sales of the Delta and Atlas rockets.
Cost pressures led ULA to announce it would lay off 350 of its 4,200 workers in early 2009,[11][12] and decommissioned two of its sevenlaunch pads.[6][13] ULA also joined and later left theCommercial Spaceflight Federation during this period.[14][15]
The introduction of lower-cost competition and rising ULA launch costs attracted scrutiny. ULA's reliance on government funding for launch readiness, including maintaining multiple launchpads and rocket variants, became a point of discussion, particularly as the EELV program experienced acost breach in 2012.[4]
ULA was awarded a DoD contract in December 2013 to provide 36 rocket cores for up to 28 launches. The award drew protest from SpaceX, which said the cost of ULA's launches were approximately US$460 million each and proposed a price of US$90 million to provide similar launches.[16] In response, Gass said ULA's average launch price was US$225 million, with future launches as low as US$100 million.[17]
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In August 2014,Tory Bruno became CEO of ULA.[18] Bruno's appointment came as ULA faced pressure to develop a next-generation launch vehicle and reduce costs to better compete with SpaceX and its partially reusable rockets. The company's high launch costs left it with few commercial and civil satellite customers, making it increasingly reliant on U.S. military and intelligence contracts, which were also under competitive threat from SpaceX.[19][20][21] Additionally, ULA faced pressure to replace its Russian-made RD-180 engines with Western alternatives following theRussian annexation of Crimea. In 2016, Congress passed a law prohibiting the military from procuring launch services using the RD-180 after 2022.[20][22]
To reduce costs, ULA underwent major restructuring, cutting its workforce from 3,600 to 2,500 by 2018[21][23] and consolidating operations from five launch pads to two.[24] To develop a replacement engine, ULA partnered withBlue Origin on theBE-4, which became the core of its next-generationVulcan Centaur rocket.[25] Vulcan was designed to lower costs and increase competitiveness in the commercial market, combining technologies from the Delta and Atlas families with new innovations.[21]
Despite these efforts, ULA's services remained more expensive than SpaceX's.[21] Its joint bid withDynetics for a NASA lunar lander was rejected in 2021 as "low in readiness."[26] TheDelta rocket family was retired in 2024. While the vehicle supported critical national security and NASA missions, it was expensive and slow to manufacture, limiting its commercial viability.[3] TheFalcon Heavy effectively captured its commercial market share.[3] ULA stockpiled approximately 100 RD-180 engines for the Atlas V to fulfill remaining contracts, with no new orders planned.
In 2022, Amazon selected ULA as one of its launch providers forProject Kuiper, asatellite internet constellation, awarding 9 launches on Atlas V and 38 on Vulcan Centaur, out of 83 total launches, marking ULA’s largest-ever commercial contract.[27]
By late 2023, Boeing and Lockheed Martin were seeking to sell ULA, with potential buyers including Blue Origin,[28] Cerberus Capital Management, and Textron.[29] Reports in mid-2024 indicated Sierra Space was in advanced talks to acquire ULA.[30][31] As of 2025, however, the company had not been sold.
In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded ULA a $5.3 billion contract for 19 missions as part of a multibillion-dollar procurement covering approximately 80 national security launches between 2025 and 2034. SpaceX received the majority of missions (28), while Blue Origin was awarded seven.[32]
Military officials expressed growing frustration with ULA over ongoing delays in the Vulcan program. In testimony to theHouse Armed Services Committee in May 2025, Major GeneralStephen G. Purdy called the rocket's recent performance "unsatisfactory," noting that slow progress in replacing the Atlas and Delta launch vehicles had postponed four national security missions. These delays, he said, disrupted the Space Force’s ability to meet key objectives. Purdy added that ULA would need to "repair trust" and demonstrate greater accountability.[33]
When the joint venture was founded in 2006, ULA inherited theAtlas rocket family from Lockheed Martin and theDelta rocket family from Boeing. As of 2024, the Delta family has been retired and the Atlas V is in the process of being retired. ULA began development of the Vulcan Centaur in 2014 as replacement for both the Atlas and Delta rocket families.[34]
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The Vulcan Centaur is aheavy-lift launch vehicle developed by ULA integrating technology from both its prior Atlas and Delta rocket families along with advancements. Vulcan has been designed to meet the requirements of theNational Security Space Launch (NSSL) program and be capable of achievinghuman-rating certification to allow the launch of a vehicle such as theBoeing Starliner orSierra Nevada Dream Chaser.[35]
The rocket was developed as ULA faced pressure to respond to growing competition fromSpaceX[36] and its reusable rockets and the need to phase out theRD-180 engine used on the Atlas V, which is built in Russia, and subject tointernational sanctions after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[37]
The Vulcan Centaur has a maximum liftoff thrust of 3,800,000 pounds-force (17,000 kN), enabling it to carry 56,000 pounds (25,000 kg) tolow Earth orbit, 33,000 lb (15,000 kg) to ageostationary transfer orbit, and 16,000 lb (7,300 kg) togeostationary orbit.[38]
The Vulcan first stage is the same size as the Delta family'sCommon Booster Core, uses twoBE-4 engines built byBlue Origin and fueled byliquid oxygen andliquid methane (liquefied natural gas).[39] The second stage is theCentaur V, an improved version of the Centaur III used on the Atlas, which is powered by twoRL10 engines built byAerojet Rocketdyne, fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The first stage can be supplemented by up to sixGEM 63XL solid rocket boosters built byNorthrop Grumman.
ULA is investigating a way topartially reuse its launch vehicles with the Sensible Modular Autonomous Return Technology (SMART) system. This system envisions jettisoning the BE-4 engines andavionics as a single unit which would be protected by an inflatable heat shield during its descent back to Earth. After being slowed by parachutes and splashing down in the ocean, the heat shield would double as a raft, and the engines and avionics module would be retrieved for refurbishment. ULA estimates that this approach could reduce the cost of producing the first stage of its rockets by 65%.[40]
Development of the Vulcan Centaur was funded as apublic–private partnership with the U.S. government contributing approximately US$1.2 billion toward initial development costs.[41] Boeing and Lockheed Martin contributed the remaining cost of development, estimated at 75% of the cost, as of March 2018.[42][43]
In October 2018, the NSSL program purchased a prototype Vulcan mission to be launched in 2019.[41] In August 2020 ULA was awarded a contract to launch 60% of NSSL missions over a 5-year period beginning in 2022.[44] However, Vulcan Centaur was delayed repeatedly. The inaugural flight occurred on January 8, 2024,[34] successfully sending thePeregrine lunar lander into orbit toward the moon.[45][46] This launch was intended to allow Astrobotic Technology to conduct five lunar experiments for NASA.[46]
ULA completed a second test flight, named Cert-2, of the Vulcan Centaur on the morning of October 4, 2024, at Cape Canaveral. The Space Force will examine the flight data to determine if Vulcan Centaur will be certified for national security missions.[47]
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Developed by Lockheed Martin and transitioned to ULA in 2006,[48] the Atlas V was ULA's primary launch vehicle for two decades. However, As of 2025[update] the rocket is nearing retirement, with all remaining flights booked and no new orders accepted. As of September 2025, Atlas V had completed 104 missions,[49] with12 launches scheduled.[50] The rocket has been offered ineleven configurations, though only the "551" and "N22" remain operational.
Born from theNational Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, the Atlas V's first successful launch took place in 2002.[51] This expendable launch system utilizes a two-stage design. The first stage, named theCommon Core Booster, uses a single Russian-madeRD-180 engine, fueled by kerosene and liquid oxygen.[52] The second stage, aCentaur III powered by theRL10 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The first stage can be supplemented by up to fiveAJ-60A orGEM 63 solid rocket boosters.
The Atlas V has undergone modifications for human spaceflight, specifically for Boeing'sStarliner capsule. These modifications include upgraded computers for monitoring and abort capabilities, data links, and manual abort mechanisms for the crew. Notably, Starliner missions use a unique Atlas V configuration: two solid rocket boosters, no payload fairing, and a dual-engine Centaur second stage for a shallower launch profile and reduced crew G-forces. This configuration stands 172 feet tall, and ULA was contracted for nine Starliner missions with Atlas V.[53]
The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) provides the second stage boost for the initial configuration (Block 1) of NASA'sSpace Launch System (SLS). The ICPS design was based on theDelta Cryogenic Second Stage employed by ULA's Delta launch vehicles. The ICPS is positioned atop the SLS core stage and directly below theOrion spacecraft.[54] The ICPS has a cylindrical liquid hydrogen tank, structurally designed to bear launch loads, while the liquid oxygen and singleRL10B-2 engine are suspended from the hydrogen tank and are covered by the interstage during launch.[55] Only three ICPS stages were built, one for each of theArtemis I,II, andIII missions. For later missions, NASA plans to instead use theExploration Upper Stage built by Boeing.
Delta II was an expendable launch system that was originally designed and built byMcDonnell Douglas,[56] and was later built by Boeing prior to the formation of ULA. Delta II was part of theDelta rocket family and entered service in 1989. ULA flew thirty missions using Delta II starting in 2006. Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000 and the two later Delta 7000 variants ("Light" and "Heavy"). The rocket flew its final missionICESat-2 on September 15, 2018.[57][58] A nearly-complete Delta II, made from flight-qualified spare parts, is displayed in its 7320-10 configuration in therocket garden atKennedy Space Center Visitors Complex.[59][60]
Delta IV is a group of five expendable launch systems in theDelta rocket family, which was introduced in the early 2000s.[61][62] The Delta IV was originally designed by Boeing'sDefense, Space & Security division for theEvolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, and became a ULA product in 2006. The Delta IV was mostly used for launchingUnited States Air Force military payloads but was also used to launch a number of U.S. government non-military payloads and one commercial satellite.[63][57][64] Delta IV had two main versions, which allowed the family to accommodate a range of payload sizes and masses; models includes Medium, which had four configurations, and theHeavy. Payloads that would previously fly on Medium moved to eitherAtlas V orVulcan Centaur.[65][66] ULA flew a total of 20 Delta IV (non-heavy) from 2009 to 2018.
Delta IV Heavy was the largest member of the Delta IV family. Boeing flew it on one mission prior to the formation of ULA, and ULA on fifteen missions from 2007 to 2024. Its final launch was April 9, 2024, atCape Canaveral Space Force Station.[67][68][69] The Delta IV Heavy combined a 5 m (16 ft) diameter DCSS and payload fairing with two additional CBCs. These are strap-on boosters which areseparated earlier in the flight than the center CBC. The 5 meter diameter composite fairing was standard on the Delta IV Heavy,[70] with analuminumisogrid fairing also available. The aluminum trisector (three-part) fairing was built byBoeing and derived from aTitan IV fairing.[71] The trisector fairing was first used on theDSP-23 flight.[72] Delta IV Heavy had 16 launches in its lifetime.[67][73][74]
Statistics are up-to-date as of November 14, 2025[update]. (SeeList of Atlas launches (2020–2029) &List of Vulcan launches)
The first launch conducted by ULA was a Delta II fromVandenberg Space Force Base on December 14, 2006,[75] carrying the satelliteUSA-193 for theNational Reconnaissance Office.[76][77][78][79] The satellite failed shortly after launch and was intentionally destroyed on February 21, 2008, by an SM-3 missile that was fired from theTiconderoga-classcruiserUSS Lake Erie.[76] ULA's firstAtlas V launch was in March 2007; it was an Atlas V variant 401 launching six military research satellites forSpace Test Program (STP) 1. This mission also performed three burns of theCentaur upper stage; it was the first three-burn mission for Atlas V.
ULA's first commercial missionCOSMO-SkyMed was launched on behalf of Italy'sMinistry of Defense three months later using a Delta II rocket.[77] On June 15, 2007, the engine in the Centaur upper stage of a ULA-launched Atlas V shut down early, leaving its payload – a pair ofNROL-30ocean surveillance satellites – in a lower than intended orbit.[80] The NRO declared the launch a success.[81]
2007 also saw ULA's first two interplanetary spacecraft launches using the Delta II; thePhoenix probe was launched toMars in August 2007 and theDawn satellite to was launched to the asteroidsVesta andCeres in September 2007.[82][83] Using a Delta II, theWorldView-1 satellite was also launched into alow Earth orbit on behalf ofDigitalGlobe. The company's first launch togeostationary transfer orbit using an Atlas V 421 variant carrying theUSA-195 (orWGS-1) communications satellite also occurred that year.[77][84] ULA's tenth mission was launching satelliteGPS IIR-17 intomedium Earth orbit on a Delta II.[77] The company completed its first Delta IV launch using the Delta IV Heavy rocket to place a payload intogeosynchronous orbit in November 2007, which was followed by three more launches in December 2007.[77]
2008 saw seven launches, including Atlas V's from Vandenberg'sSpace Launch Complex 3E and five others using the Delta II.[77] The Atlas launch carriedNROL-28 in March 2008[85] and in September 2008 theGeoEye-1 satellite was orbited by a Delta II rocket.[86] ULA completed eight Delta II, five Atlas V, and three Delta IV launches in 2009.[77] The Delta II launches carried threeSpace Tracking and Surveillance System satellites over two launches, twoGlobal Positioning System satellites,[87] and theNOAA-19 andWorldView-2 satellites,[88][89] as well as theKepler and theWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer space telescopes.[77][90]
The Atlas launches carried theLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter andLCROSS mission as part of theLunar Precursor Robotic Program, which was later intentionally crashed into theMoon and found the existence of water;[91] other 2009 Atlas V launches in includedIntelsat 14,WGS-2,[84]PAN, and aweather satellite as part of theDefense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The Delta IV rockets carried theNROL-26,GOES 14,[92] andWGS-3 satellites.[84][77]
In 2010, Atlas V launches deployed theSolar Dynamics Observatory, the firstBoeing X-37B, the firstAdvanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite, and theNROL-41. The Delta II system placed the lastCOSMO-SkyMed and Delta IV launches deployed theGOES 15,GPS Block IIF, andUSA-223 satellites.[77][93] ULA completed eleven launches in 2011, including five by Atlas, three by Delta II, and three by Delta IV. The Atlas system orbited another Boeing X-37, twoNROL-34signals intelligence satellites,[94] aSpace-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite, theJuno spacecraft andCuriosity rover.[77][95] The Delta II launches placed theSAC-D andSuomi NPP satellites into orbit,[96] as well as two spacecraft associated with NASA'sGRAIL lunar mission. Delta IV launches carried theNROL-49,NROL-27,[97] and another GPS satellite.[77]
ULA's 2012 launches included six Atlas Vs and four Delta IVs. The Atlas system carriedMobile User Objective System (MUOS) and AEHF satellites, another Boeing X-37, the Intruder and Quasar satellites, and theVan Allen Probes. Delta IVs deployed GPS and WGS satellitesUSA-233,[98][99] as well asNROL-25[100] and NROL-15 on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office.[77][101]
In 2013, the Atlas flew eight times.[102] The system launched theTDRS-11,[103]Landsat 8,AEHF-3, andNROL-39 satellites, as well as SBIRS, GPS, and MUOS satellites, as well as NASA'sMAVEN space probe to Mars. Delta IV launches orbited the fifth and sixthWideband Global SATCOM satellitesWGS-5 andWGS-6,[104] as well asNROL-65.[77][98][105]
In 2014, ULA's Atlas V orbited theTDRS-12 communications satellite in January,[106] theWorldView-3 commercial satellite in August 2014,[107][108] and the CLIO communications satellite during September and October 2014.[85] Atlas rockets also carried the satellites DMSP-5D-3/F19, NROL-67, NROL-33, and NROL-35.[85] Delta IV rockets orbited GPS satellites and twoGeosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites, and in July 2014, NASA'sOrbiting Carbon Observatory 2 was carried by a Delta II.[85]Orion's first test flight was launched by a Delta IV Heavy rocket in December 2014, as part ofExploration Flight Test-1.[109]
A Delta II rocket orbited aSoil Moisture Active Passive satellite in January 2015.[110] In March 2015, an Atlas V rocket carried NASA'sMagnetospheric Multiscale Mission spacecraft,[111][112] and a Delta IV rocket orbited theGPS IIF-9 satellite on behalf of the U.S. Air Force.[113][114] The U.S. Air Force'sX-37B spaceplane was carried by an Atlas V rocket in May 2015,[115] and a Delta IV orbited theWGS-7 satellite in July 2015.[116] The fourth MUOS satellite was orbited by an Atlas V in September 2015.[117][118] ULA's 100th consecutive successful liftoff was completed on October 2, 2015, when an Atlas V rocket orbited aMexican Satellite System communications satellite on behalf of theSecretariat of Communications and Transportation.[109] The classifiedNROL-55 satellite was launched by an Atlas V rocket several days later.[119] Atlas V rockets launchedGPS Block IIF satellites and theCygnus cargo spacecraft in November 2015 and December 2015, respectively.[120][121][122]
In 2016, Delta IV rockets carried theNROL-45 satellite andAir Force Space Command 6 mission in February 2016 and August 2016, respectively.[123][124] During a launch of theAtlas V rocket on March 22, 2016, a minor first-stage anomaly led to shutdown of the first-stage engine approximately five seconds before anticipated. The Centaur upper stage was able to compensate by firing for approximately one minute longer than planned using its reserved fuel margin.[125][126] Atlas V rockets carriedMUOS-5 in June 2016,[127][128]NROL-61 satellites in July 2016,[129][130] and theOSIRIS-REx spacecraft in September 2016.[131]
ULA launched multiple satellites in late 2016. The weather satelliteGeostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) was carried in November 2016,[132][133] as was theWorldView-4 imaging satellite.[134] In December 2016, the Wideband Global SATCOM's eighth satelliteWGS-8 was launched on a Delta IV Medium rocket,[133][135] and an Atlas V carried theEchoStar XIX communications satellite on behalf ofHughes Communications.[136][137] In March 2017,WGS-9 was orbited by a Delta IV.[84][138] Atlas V rockets carried NRO satellites,[139][140][141]TDRS-M,[142] and aCygnus cargo capsule in 2017.[143] The weather satelliteNOAA-20 (JPSS-1) was launched by a Delta II rocket in November 2017.[89][144]
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An Atlas V carried theSBIRS-GEO 4 military satellite in January 2018.[145] The Atlas V's launch ofNASA'sInSight toMars in 2018 was the first interplanetary probe to depart from the U.S. West Coast.[82] In August 2018, a Delta IV Heavy launchedParker Solar Probe, NASA's solar space probe that was to visit and study theSun's outercorona in August 2018.[146] It was also the Delta IV Heavy with aStar-48BV kick stage,[147] and the highest-ever spacecraft velocity.[148] The company launched the final Delta II rocket, carryingICESat-2 from Vandenberg Air Force BaseSLC-2 on September 15, 2018. This marks the last launch of a Delta family rocket based on the originalThorIRBM.[58] On August 22, 2019, ULA launched its last Delta IV Medium rocket for the GPS III Magellan project.[149] An Atlas V carried Boeing's Starliner Orbital Flight Test (OFT) mission for NASA in December 2019.[150]
Between 2020 and 2024, Atlas V continued to fly a mix of scientific, commercial, and national security missions. Notable payloads included ESA'sSolar Orbiter in February 2020,[151] NASA'sMars 2020 mission with thePerseverance rover andIngenuity helicopter in July 2020,[152] and theLucy asteroid probe in October 2021.[153] In September 2021, Atlas V launchedLandsat 9 for NASA and the USGS, while in October 2023 it carried the first two prototype satellites forAmazon'sProject Kuiper, the first of 9 Kuiper launches booked on Atlas V and 38 on Vulcan Centaur.[154]
Atlas V also served as the launch vehicle for theBoeing Starliner crewed spacecraft program. Following the partial failure ofthe first Orbital Flight Test in 2019, ULA launchedOrbital Flight Test 2 in May 2022, placing Starliner into orbit for a successful first docking with theInternational Space Station.[155] The rocket was again used for theCrew Flight Test in June 2024, carrying two NASA astronauts to the station.[156]
During the same period, the last Delta IV Heavy missions marked the retirement of the Delta rocket family.[157] Four flights between 2020 and 2024 carried classified payloads for the National Reconnaissance Office from both Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg, with the final mission launching in April 2024.[158]
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The Vulcan Centaur rocket flew for the first time on January 8, 2024. The inaugural mission placedAstrobotic'sPeregrine lunar lander on atrans-lunar trajectory and tested the upper stage's ability to perform long-duration burns. The rocket's second certification flight on October 4, 2024, launched with a mass simulator after delays to its intended payload,Sierra Nevada Corporation'sDream Chaser spacecraft. An anomaly with one of thesolid rocket boosters caused a partial loss of thrust, but the vehicle compensated and reached orbit. Together, these two flights completed Vulcan's certification for futurenational security launches.
In 2025, ULA had a substantial backlog of military/security launches for Vulcan Centaur.As of August 2025[update] ULA are "aiming for about two launches per month across its Atlas and Vulcan fleets in 2025 and 2026", but a total of nine launches in 2025.[159]
ULA's headquarters inCentennial, Colorado is responsible for program management, rocket engineering, testing, and launch support functions.[160] ULA's largest factory is 1.6 million square feet (150,000 m2) and located inDecatur, Alabama.[161] In 2015, the company announced the opening of an engineering and propulsion test center inPueblo, Colorado.[162]
Until 2024 the company operated a factory inHarlingen, Texas to fabricate and assemble components for the Atlas V rocket.[163]
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As of June 2024, United Launch Alliance (ULA) operates one active launch facility:Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at theCape Canaveral Space Force Station inCape Canaveral, Florida.[164][165] Launches fromSpace Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) at theVandenberg Space Force Base nearLompoc, California ended in 2022 but will resume After the pad is converted for use by Vulcan.[166][167] Launches from Cape Canaveral are typically directed eastward to take advantage of Earth’s rotation forequatorial trajectories, while Vandenberg is primarily used for missions requiring apolar orbit, such as Earth-imaging and weather satellites.[168]
The two sites employ different methods for vehicle stacking and launch. At SLC-41, rockets are stacked on amobile launcher platform inside a nearbyVertical Integration Facility (VIF) and then rolled to the pad, where they are connected to a fixed tower equipped with a crew access arm for human spaceflight missions. At SLC-3, rockets are assembled vertically on a fixed launch pad, with a mobile service building that envelops the pad during integration and is rolled back before liftoff.
To support a higher launch cadence, particularly for Amazon’s Project Kuiper constellation, ULA is expanding its infrastructure at Cape Canaveral. The company acquired the former Solid Motor Assembly and Readiness Facility (SMARF), originally built for theTitan IVB program, and repurposed it as the Spaceflight Processing Operations Center (SPOC).[169] Initially used as a warehouse for construction of two mobile launcher platforms for Vulcan,[169][170] the SPOC is now being converted into a second integration facility, designated VIF-A (Amazon Vertical Integration Facility). Planned upgrades include raising the roof by 45 feet, adding storage space for a mobile launcher platform, and creating an offline vertical integration (OVI) cell to allow parallel processing of the Centaur V upper stage and Vulcan booster prior to stacking. Once VIF-A is operational, the existing VIF will be redesignated VIF-G (Government Vertical Integration Facility) and primarily support national security launches.[171][172][173]
Since its formation in 2006, ULA has reduced its number of active pads from seven to one. At Cape Canaveral it previously operated two pads atSLC-17 and one atS LC-37 for Delta launches,[84][174] while at Vandenberg it formerly operated one pad atSLC-2 and another atSLC-6, also for Delta missions.[175][176][177]
Centaur 3 (which flies on the Atlas V rocket) is 3.8 meters in diameter. The very first Centaur we fly on Vulcan will go straight to 5.4 meters in diameter.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.Launched by a Delta II rocket in August 2007, Phoenix touched down on Mars on 25 May 2008.
NASA's Dawn spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket on 27 September 2007.
A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket has launched with the NASANOAA-N Prime spacecraft at the third attempt to launch from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California – at 02:22 a.m. PST – following two scrubs due to technical issues.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.The launch of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket, carrying the GOES-O weather satellite for the United StatesNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has launched on Saturday, following Friday's scrub due to unacceptable weather.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV vehicle has launched the classified NROL-32 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office fromSpace Launch Complex 37B, Cape Canaveral, at 17:58 EST.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) have launched their Atlas V carrying NASA's Juno probe on its way to Jupiter on Friday.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) have launched their Delta II rocket to loft the SAC-D spacecraft into orbit for the Argentine space agency, CONAE, on Friday.
United Launch Alliance have conducted the United States' first orbital launch of the year on Thursday, when their Delta IV launched with the fourth Wideband Global Satcom spacecraft.
A new Delta IV configuration has made its first flight Tuesday, carrying the NROL-25 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket has made its twentieth launch Friday morning from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, carrying the classified NROL-15 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office.
United Launch Alliance successfully conducted their first mission of 2014 Thursday evening, with an Atlas V deploying NASA's latest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-L.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) conducted a commercial Atlas V launch on Wednesday on behalf of Lockheed Martin, orbiting DigitalGlobe's WorldView-3 imaging satellite.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket – interrupted by a wildfire – finally conducted a rare commercial launch on Friday, tasked with orbiting the WorldView-4 Earth-imaging satellite in a mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) has launched a Delta IV rocket on Wednesday evening, carrying the eighth satellite in the U.S. Air Force's Wideband Global Satcom system.
United Launch Alliance launched its last Atlas V rocket of 2016 Sunday, deploying the EchoStar XIX commercial communications satellite for Hughes Netwebsite Systems.
United Launch Alliance's Atlas V has launched on her seventy-fifth flight, lofting the SBIRS GEO-4, a missile early warning satellite.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
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