Vulcan·United Launch Alliance
Vulcan
active
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Specifications
- Status
- active
- Diameter
- 5.4 m
- Stages
- 2
- Thrust
- 8,126 kN
- First flight
- 2026-12-31
- Total launches
- 0
- Success / Fail
- 0 / 0
Vulcan Centaur is a heavy-lift launch vehicle developed and operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA). It is a two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle consisting of the Vulcan first stage and the Centaur V second stage. Replacing ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, the Vulcan Centaur is principally designed to meet the needs of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, which supports U.S. intelligence agencies and the Defense Department, but ULA believes it will also be able to price missions low enough to attract commercial launches.
Propulsion
Boosters
2×GEM 631,663 kN
solid (HTPB) · solid
Northrop GrummanIsp 279s (vac)since 20200–6 strap-ons
First stage
2×BE-42,400 kN
CH4 / LOX · staged-combustion
Blue OriginIsp 340s (vac)since 2024
Second stage
2×RL10110 kN
LH2 / LOX · expander
Aerojet RocketdyneIsp 451s (vac)since 1963Centaur V