Boeing-Lockheed's Vulcan Rocket Certified for U.S. National Security Missions

Published 8 hours agoBA

Boeing-Lockheed's Vulcan Rocket Certified for U.S. National Security Missions

The U.S. Space Force has officially certified Boeing and Lockheed Martin's Vulcan rocket to carry national security satellites, making United Launch Alliance (ULA) the second company alongside SpaceX authorized for these crucial missions, according to Bloomberg. This certification, achieved in March 2025, highlights a significant milestone for ULA as it expands its presence in the highly competitive national security space launch sector.

Key developments leading up to this certification include a successful second launch of the Vulcan rocket in October 2024. As reported by Reuters, this mission was a pivotal step towards full Pentagon mission readiness, showcasing the rocket's capabilities and reliability. Despite this success, the Pentagon previously expressed concerns in May 2024 about the Vulcan's development pace, urging ULA to speed up production to meet security needs, as noted by the Washington Post.

In response to competitive pressures, particularly from SpaceX's Starship, ULA announced in December 2024 plans to upgrade the Vulcan. Reuters covered ULA's strategy to enhance its market position with a version optimized for low Earth orbit launches and potential configurations such as the "Vulcan Heavy," featuring three core boosters. These upgrades underscore ULA's commitment to advancing its capabilities and maintaining a stronghold in the commercial and national security satellite launch markets.

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