All articles tagged with #ula
The Space Force is reworking a slate of national-security launches after ULA’s Vulcan booster anomaly could keep the rocket grounded for months, prompting reassignment of at least one GPS mission to SpaceX and prompting officials to explore rideshares, mission reallocation, and other options while investigations continue and Blue Origin’s New Glenn certification remains unsettled.
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Access and SYD 80 teams have swapped the GPS III-8 mission from United Launch Alliance to SpaceX, with a Falcon 9 now set to deliver the final GPS III SV-10 to orbit no earlier than late April from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. ULA will instead handle the USSF-70 mission no earlier than summer 2028. The change aims to maintain rapid, reliable GPS capability while the Vulcan anomaly investigation continues, and there are no announced changes to other manifests.
Facing booster anomalies that grounded ULA's Vulcan, Space Systems Command moved GPS III SV10’s launch to SpaceX's Falcon 9, the fourth GPS mission shifted from ULA to SpaceX in just over a year, highlighting SpaceX's lead in reliable access to space while Vulcan undergoes investigation.
NASA has chosen the Centaur upper stage from ULA to replace the Exploration Upper Stage on the Space Launch System for Artemis 4 and 5, via a sole-source contract that includes a flight spare; this follows NASA’s decision not to pursue the Block 1B EUS and the end of ICPS production, with Centaur favored over Blue Origin’s New Glenn due to familiarity, existing infrastructure, and schedule risks.
NASA has selected United Launch Alliance’s Centaur 5 as the upper stage for the Space Launch System, starting with Artemis 4 no earlier than early 2028, via a sole-source contract to standardize the fleet to a near-Block 1 configuration. The decision leverages Centaur 5’s RL10 heritage and existing infrastructure, while bypassing alternatives like Boeing’s EUS and Blue Origin’s NGUS due to cost, schedule, and development risks, in line with NASA’s push to accelerate manufacturing and increase launch rates.
A former NASA administrator turned United Launch Alliance lobbyist endorses a Senate proposal to cap NASA launch funding at 50% per provider, aiming to boost competition among US launch firms, but critics say it could block SpaceX missions and favor incumbents in the evolving space industry.
The U.S. Space Force has paused all national-security launches on ULA’s Vulcan Centaur after booster anomalies recurred on the latest mission (USSF-87) and a previous flight, leading to a multi‑month investigation and corrective actions before flights resume.
The Space Force has paused further launches on ULA’s Vulcan rocket while investigators probe a February 2026 booster anomaly—the second such issue after a 2024 carbon‑composite insulator defect—pushing GPS satellite launches toward SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The investigation is expected to last months as officials seek root cause and corrective actions. Meanwhile, GPS modernization continues: 26 of 31 satellites carry the M-code signal and 19 broadcast the higher‑power L5 civil signal, underscoring the value of having multiple launch providers to maintain global coverage amid rising interference and jamming threats.
Space Force has halted Vulcan rocket launches after an anomaly with a solid-rocket booster was observed on the USSF-87 mission. Investigators will work with ULA and Northrop Grumman to determine corrective actions before resuming Vulcan flights, with no set resumption date and potential fallback options such as SpaceX if Vulcan remains grounded. GPS III SV-10 remains on the national security launch manifest for no later than next month as ULA addresses the booster issue while pursuing its cadence goals.
ULA offloaded the first Vulcan booster at Vandenberg, marking the West Coast debut for Vulcan launches after the RocketShip barge delivered flight hardware from Alabama and Florida. The USSF-87 mission to GEO with GSSAP and ESPA payloads is targeting no earlier than Feb. 12, with Cape Canaveral readiness continuing for a separate launch from SLC-41.
The U.S. Space Force is swapping launch vehicles for GPS III Space Vehicle 09 and GPS IIIF Space Vehicle 13: SV09 will launch on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 instead of ULA’s Vulcan, while SV13 moves to Vulcan (from Falcon Heavy). The trade aims to deliver capabilities faster and reduce costs, continuing a pattern of provider swaps to keep GPS deployments on schedule.
Tory Bruno, former ULA CEO, has joined Blue Origin as president of its newly formed National Security Group, bringing extensive experience in space launch and defense systems to help Blue Origin compete for national security satellite launches and expand its role in space defense.
ULA CEO Tory Bruno resigned, Alabama receives $4.9 million from Mercedes-Benz diesel settlement, and a Brewton mother is accused of sending candy with marijuana residue to her child's kindergarten class, with police investigating the incident.
Tory Bruno resigned as President and CEO of United Launch Alliance after nearly 12 years, during which he led the company through significant milestones including the Vulcan rocket's debut; John Elbon has been appointed interim CEO as ULA searches for a permanent replacement.
The ULA Atlas 5 rocket's launch of the ViaSat-3 F2 satellite was scrubbed due to a valve issue, delaying the deployment of a high-capacity broadband satellite intended to enhance Viasat's network capabilities over the Americas, with a new launch window scheduled for the following day.