ULA targets November return for Vulcan rocket

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 30 Oct, 12:48 · Archive

United Launch Alliance plans to return its Vulcan rocket to service on November 13, nine months after a booster failure in February.

United Launch Alliance announced Wednesday it plans to return its Vulcan rocket to service on November 13, nine months after a solid rocket booster anomaly on a February flight. The return-to-flight mission will launch 40 satellites for Amazon's Leo broadband constellation from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This will be the first Vulcan launch to use a full complement of six solid rocket boosters.

The launch is critical for ULA after Vulcan suffered nozzle failures on two of its first four missions. Although the rocket overcame both failures and completed its missions, officials at the US Space Force lost confidence in the vehicle. The Space Force has entrusted Vulcan with roughly half of its major launches through the early 2030s and certified it for national security launches in 2025, but grounded the rocket after the February incident.

ULA said engineers have identified potential contributors to the booster anomaly and mitigated them through design and process improvements to the nozzle. The upcoming launch will utilise the improved nozzle design, with additional testing and analysis to continue in parallel with the mission. Space Force officials are expected to scrutinise the return-to-flight mission closely.

ULA targets November return for Vulcan rocket — Image: Ars Technica

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How it is being reported

Rocket Report: Winter is coming for Themis; Cowboy Space adds iron to the fireIt's been a good week for ULA with a big NASA contract and Vulcan nearing return-to-flight.Ars Technica · 30 Oct, 11:00
Critical launch for Vulcan as ULA targets Friday the 13thHopefully without disintegrating SRB nozzlesThe Register · 29 Oct, 13:15
ULA's Vulcan rocket is set to return to flight on Friday the 13thThis Vulcan launch will be the first to utilize a full complement of six solid rocket boosters.Ars Technica · 28 Oct, 22:51

In this story: United Launch Alliance · Vulcan · Cape Canaveral Space Force Station · Amazon · US Space Force

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