List of Vulcan launches
This is a list of launches made by the Vulcan Centaur rocket, first launched January 8, 2024.
Notable missions[edit]
Peregrine Mission One[edit]
Peregrine Mission One was a lunar lander built by Astrobotic Technology, selected as a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. It was launched on the maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur on 8 January 2024, 07:18 UTC.[1] The Vulcan Centaur successfully placed Peregrine into trans-lunar injection, however, following a fuel leak with the spacecraft unrelated to the Vulcan Centaur, the lander failed in its attempt to land on the moon.[2]
Launch statistics[edit]
Launch outcomes[edit]
Launch history[edit]
2024[edit]
| Flight No. | Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Payload mass | Orbit | Customer | Launch outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 January 2024, 07:18 |
Vulcan Centaur VC2S | CCSFS, SLC-41 | Peregrine lander | 1,283 kg (2,829 lb) | TLI | Astrobotic Technology | Success[3] |
| Enterprise (space burial) | Heliocentric | Celestis | ||||||
| Maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur. Vulcan Certification-1 mission, the first of two launches needed to certify the rocket for National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. Payload from Celestis, demonstrated engine restart capability of the Centaur upper stage delivering multiple payloads to different orbits. The Peregrine payload failed in transit to the Moon, precluding a landing attempt, due to reasons unrelated to the launch vehicle.[4] | ||||||||
Future launches[edit]
2024[edit]
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early September[5] | Vulcan Centaur VC2S[6] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | Mass Simulator | TBA | United Launch Alliance |
| Certification-2 mission, the second of two launches needed to certify the rocket for NSSL missions. Originally scheduled to carry the first flight of Dream Chaser, but due to schedule delays with Dream Chaser, ULA will fly an inert payload, experiments, and demonstrations.[5] | |||||
| December 2024[7] | Vulcan Centaur VC4[8][9] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | USSF-106 / NTS-3[10] | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| USSF-106 mission. First NSSL mission for Vulcan Centaur.[11] | |||||
| December 2024[12] | Vulcan Centaur VC4 | CCSFS, SLC-41 | USSF-87 (GSSAP 7 & 8)[13] | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| USSF-87 Mission. It will launch two identical Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness satellites, GSSAP-7 and 8, directly to a geosynchronous orbit. | |||||
2025[edit]
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025[14] | Vulcan Centaur VC2S[15] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | GPS-III SV07 | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| First GPS mission for Vulcan Centaur. | |||||
| 2025[5] | Vulcan Centaur VC4L[9] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | SNC Demo-1 (Dream Chaser Tenacity.1) | LEO (ISS) | NASA (CRS) |
| First flight of Dream Chaser. Originally scheduled to fly on Vulcan Certification-2 mission. | |||||
| 2025[16] | Vulcan Centaur VC2S[15] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | GPS-III SV08 | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Eighth GPS Block III navigation satellite. | |||||
| 2025[17] | Vulcan Centaur VC2S[15] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | GPS-III SV09 | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Ninth GPS Block III navigation satellite. | |||||
| 2025[16] | Vulcan Centaur VC4 | CCSFS, SLC-41 | NROL-64 | TBA | NRO |
| First NRO launch on Vulcan | |||||
| 2025[16] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | NROL-83 | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO payload. First Vulcan Centaur launch from Vandenberg | |||||
| 2025[18] | Vulcan Centaur | CCSFS, SLC-41 | PTS-P | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Protected Tactical Satcom prototype payload. The PTS payload will fly on dedicated Northrop Grumman built ESPAStar-HP satellite bus. | |||||
| 2025[16] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | SDA T1TR-B | LEO | SDA |
| Tranche 1 Tracking Layer B missile tracking satellites. | |||||
| 2025[16] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | SDA T1TR-D | LEO | SDA |
| Tranche 1 Tracking Layer D missile tracking satellites. | |||||
| 2025[14] | Vulcan Centaur VC4 | CCSFS, SLC-41 | USSF-112 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2025[16] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | USSF-114 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2025[14][19] | Vulcan Centaur | CCSFS, SLC-41 | WGS-11 | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Military communications satellite. | |||||
2027[edit]
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration |
Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLT 2027[20][17] | Vulcan Centaur | CCSFS, SLC-41[21] | DRACO Demo (USSF-25) | LEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) is a DARPA program to demonstrate a working nuclear thermal rocket in space. | |||||
TBD[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Bruno, Tory (10 December 2023). "#VulcanRocket WDR update". X. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ^ "The first US Moon landing in more than 50 years has hit a major hurdle after a 'critical' fuel leak". ABC News (Australia). 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ McCrea, Aaron (8 January 2024). "Vulcan successfully launches Peregrine lunar lander on inaugural flight". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "The first US Moon landing in more than 50 years has hit a major hurdle after a 'critical' fuel leak". ABC News (Australia). 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "ULA changes payloads for second Vulcan launch". SpaceNews. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ @torybruno (15 June 2024). "2 solids" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Berger, Eric (10 January 2024). "After its impressive first flight, here's what's next for the Vulcan rocket". Ars Technica. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ @GewoonLukas_ (24 June 2024). "The first one will be the USSF-106 mission. This launch will carry the NTS-3 satellite, along with another currently unidentified payload, directly to Geosynchronous orbit. It currently looks like Vulcan will be flying in the VC4 configuration for this mission" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as Krebs, Gunter (19 December 2023). "Vulcan". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (9 April 2022). "Air Force space experiment will seek to demonstrate multi-orbit satellite navigation". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (27 February 2023). "Air Force navigation satellite to launch on Vulcan's first national security mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ^ "FY21 NSS Missions". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ @GewoonLukas_ (24 June 2024). "The second one will be the USSF-87 mission, which will likely carry the 4th pair of GSSAP satellites directly to Geosynchronous orbit. It currently looks like Vulcan will be flying in the VC2 configuration for this mission, although a VC4 has been previously reported" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c "Rocket Launch Manifest". Next Spaceflight. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ a b c @torybruno (16 May 2024). "Likely a 2 solid. When the Gov wants to go" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c d e f Erwin, Sandra (8 June 2023). "Space Force assigns 12 national security missions to SpaceX and ULA". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Erwin, Sandra (31 October 2023). "Space Force assigns 21 national security missions to ULA and SpaceX". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (9 April 2024). "Northrop Grumman developing military communications satellite for 2025 launch". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (13 April 2023). "Boeing unveils WGS-11 design with new military payload". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (26 July 2023). "NASA and DARPA select Lockheed Martin to develop DRACO nuclear propulsion demo". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i @thesheetztweetz (1 November 2023). "And, for those curious, here's the rundown of the 21 mission assignments:" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Space Systems Command announces 21 mission assignments for National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Procurement" (PDF). 31 October 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Erwin, Sandra (30 May 2022). "Space Force identifies national security launches funded in 2022 and 2023". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (29 April 2022). "First Dream Chaser vehicle takes shape". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ "Amazon Signs Contract with United Launch Alliance for 38 Project Kuiper Launches on Vulcan Centaur". ULA. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2024.