On Jan. 8, United Launch Alliance successfully launched its first Vulcan rocket, a decade-long project funded by the U.S. government. This launch ended ULA’s reliance on a Russian engine, creating more competition in U.S. launch services with the addition of ULA and SpaceX as heavy-lift launch capabilities and Blue Origin soon joining.
The launch was delayed due to government concerns of relying on foreign suppliers for national security requirements. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014 heightened these concerns and triggered Congress to direct the U.S. Air Force to develop a new U.S.-designed engine to replace Russian engines. Congress mandated an engine for military launches starting in 2019, which was the BE-4 used in the inaugural Vulcan launch.
This development has been a milestone in U.S. space-industrial growth, and a result of investment in both the government and private sectors, with the goal of providing cost-effective, competitive launch services to both U.S. government and other commercial space customers.