United Launch Alliance (ULA) achieved a significant milestone with the successful inaugural launch of its next-generation Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch, which took place at 2:18 a.m. EST, signifies a new era of space capabilities for the company's Alabama-made rockets.
ULA's president and CEO, Tory Bruno, hailed the launch as a groundbreaking moment, stating that "Vulcan’s inaugural launch ushers in a new, innovative capability to meet the ever-growing requirements of space launch."
The Vulcan rocket, assembled at ULA's Decatur factory, replaces the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles. This launch represents a culmination of years of development and testing, with ULA and its partner, Beyond Gravity, expanding the production site in Decatur to accommodate the new rocket.
The mission, known as Vulcan's first certification flight (Cert-1), carried significant payloads, including Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lunar Lander and the Celestis Memorial Spaceflights deep space Voyager mission.
Mark Peller, vice president of Vulcan Development, emphasized the rocket's purpose-built design, leveraging decades of launch experience to provide unprecedented mission flexibility.
Beyond Gravity, a key partner in the project, contributed essential components to the Vulcan rocket, showcasing Alabama's prowess in aerospace engineering. The rocket is powered by Blue Origin’s BE-4 engines, produced in Huntsville.
Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, lauded the contribution of Alabama’s aerospace workforce to the nation’s space program, emphasizing the significance of the achievement.
With over 70 Vulcan launches sold to date, including missions for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband satellite program, ULA's Vulcan rocket is poised to play a crucial role in the future of space exploration.
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