ULA's Vulcan rocket is set to return to flight on Friday the 13th
This Vulcan launch will be the first to utilize a full complement of six solid rocket boosters.
This Vulcan launch will be the first to utilize a full complement of six solid rocket boosters.
The short version
- 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 threw the company’s 2026 launch schedule into oblivion.
- The return-to-flight mission will launch 40 satellites for the Amazon Leo broadband constellation, the first of 38 Vulcan flights Amazon has booked to deploy the bulk of its network.
- The mission will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and ULA said the launch date is pending range approval.
What happened
The launch is critical for ULA after its new flagship rocket suffered nozzle failures on its solid rocket boosters on two of its first four missions, most recently during a flight in February. In both cases, the rocket overcame the nozzle failure and completed its mission, but officials at the US Space Force, ULA’s primary customer, lost confidence in Vulcan.
Why it matters
Space Force officials will closely scrutinize Vulcan’s return-to-flight mission.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.