ULA Announces Strategic Upgrades to Vulcan Rocket Amid Space Race with SpaceX

Published 6 days agoBA

ULA Announces Strategic Upgrades to Vulcan Rocket Amid Space Race with SpaceX

United Launch Alliance (ULA), the joint venture between aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has unveiled ambitious plans to enhance its Vulcan rocket. During a military space conference, CEO Tory Bruno outlined proposed upgrades designed to boost Vulcan's payload capacity for low Earth orbit (LEO) missions, positioning it as a formidable competitor to SpaceX’s Starship in the satellite market.

Key features of the proposed enhancements include a 'Vulcan Heavy' configuration, potentially incorporating three strapped Vulcan boosters, and unique propulsion placements. These strategic upgrades aim to be operational when SpaceX’s Starship reaches commercial viability for large-scale satellite launches. ULA envisions their Vulcan Centaur rocket upgrades to be ready by 2025, with further modifications occurring every two to three years, according to sources like [1] and [2].

Boosting its competitive edge, ULA recently gained U.S. Space Force certification for the upgraded Vulcan rocket, enabling it to undertake national security satellite launches. The certification marks a significant milestone, with ULA's focus on reusable technology and enhanced endurance, inspired by the ACES upper stage concepts and the new Centaur V, serving to reaffirm its presence in the competitive space launch market against SpaceX’s growing dominance.

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