Vulcan·United Launch Alliance
Vulcan VC2S
active
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Specifications
- Status
- active
- Height
- 61.6 m
- Diameter
- 5.4 m
- Mass
- 663,000 kg
- Stages
- 2
- Thrust
- 9,303 kN
- Payload to LEO
- 19,000 kg
- Payload to GTO
- 8,400 kg
- First flight
- 2024-01-08
- Total launches
- 2
- Success / Fail
- 2 / 0
Vulcan Centaur is a two-stage-to-orbit, heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by United Launch Alliance (ULA) since 2014. It is principally designed to meet launch demands for the U.S. government's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program for use by the United States Space Force and U.S. intelligence agencies for national security satellite launches. It will replace both of ULA's existing launchers (Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy) in this role, as these launchers are retiring.
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
Payloads it launched
1 loaded