ULA, a United Launch Alliance, has completed the assembly of its first Vulcan Centaur rocket. The rocket is set to make its debut launch later this year.
The rocket, comprised of a powerful Vulcan first stage and Centaur upper stage, is the first of its kind for ULA. It was recently rolled out for a final check and was seen in photos released by ULA last week.
The first stage of the Vulcan Centaur is powered by two BE-4 engines, which are designed and built by Blue Origin. The Centaur upper stage is powered by a single RL10 engine, which is built by Aerojet Rocketdyne.
The Vulcan Centaur is designed to deliver greater capabilities and benefits than ULA’s existing Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles. It provides greater payload performance at a lower cost and with a higher probability of mission success.
In addition to its debut launch later this year, ULA is planning to use the Vulcan Centaur to launch the US Air Force’s National Security Space Launch Program. The rocket is set to replace the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles in the coming years.
The debut launch of the Vulcan Centaur is a major milestone for ULA and for the space industry as a whole. The rocket is expected to provide more reliable and cost-effective access to space for a wide range of missions.