The likelihood of two Space Force launch missions scheduled for United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) new Vulcan rocket flying before the end of the year is diminishing, as stated by a top space acquisition official.
The Vulcan rocket successfully conducted its second launch in October 2023, which was intended to facilitate approval from the Space Force for military missions. However, the Space Force and ULA are still in the process of reviewing data from this recent flight, and the official certification could take several more weeks.
Currently, two Space Force satellites are awaiting the green light to launch on the Vulcan rocket. One of these missions, designated USSF-106, includes the Navigation Technology Satellite-3, an experimental spacecraft designed to enhance the service’s GPS constellation. This satellite, built by L3Harris, was initially scheduled for launch in 2022. The second mission, USSF-87, involves a classified Space Force payload.
Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, expressed confidence in Vulcan’s eventual certification but noted that there is limited time before the year concludes. During a Defense Writer’s Group event in Washington, he remarked, “With only six weeks to go, we are getting challenged to be able to launch this year,” emphasizing a tight timeframe remaining to meet the schedule.
ULA, a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, alongside Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is one of the two companies authorized to launch national security space missions for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the intelligence community. ULA is in the process of replacing its older Atlas V and Delta IV rockets with the more advanced Vulcan, which requires successful completion of two certification flights. The first flight was completed successfully in January 2023.
Before the October launch, ULA CEO Tory Bruno indicated that if the mission proceeded smoothly, they could quickly complete the necessary data analysis and anticipate achieving military certification thereafter. Although the flight performed nominally and delivered its payload successfully, an issue with one of Vulcan’s solid rocket boosters has necessitated more in-depth scrutiny.
To address this, ULA and Space Systems Command have formed a collaborative team to analyze flight data and investigate the anomaly. A Space Systems Command spokesman stated that this team is making progress in establishing the root cause and identifying corrective actions. Furthermore, the Space Force is nearing the final stages of engineering reviews and expects to certify the Vulcan rocket in the coming weeks.
The delays caused by the rocket’s certification have also impacted multiple GPS III satellites that were set to launch on Vulcan, built by Lockheed Martin, which currently remain in storage until the rocket is certified. Although Garrant reassured that the existing GPS constellation remains healthy and operational for military users, there is ongoing consideration for rescheduling some GPS III missions planned for SpaceX launches to earlier dates.
Garrant concluded, stating, “We’re certainly looking at options to go faster,” indicating that there are efforts underway to expedite the process.
Courtney Albon, the reporter of this information, covers space and emerging technology for C4ISRNET and has been reporting on the U.S. military since 2012, focusing on the Air Force and Space Force.
