Topic: rocket certification

ULA's Vulcan rocket costs surge in Pentagon contract data

October 5, 2025

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ULA's Vulcan rocket costs surge in Pentagon contract data

SpaceX secured five out of seven national security satellite launch contracts from the US Space Force, with United Launch Alliance (ULA) winning the remaining two missions. Only SpaceX and ULA are currently certified for these critical launches, utilizing Falcon rockets and the Vulcan rocket resp...

ULA's 10-Vulcan Goal for 2024 Falls to Single Launch

United Launch Alliance's 2025 launch schedule has been drastically reduced from twenty to only six missions, with the new Vulcan rocket flying just once instead of multiple planned launches. The Vulcan's single 2025 flight successfully completed a certified national security mission for the U.S. ...

Orbital Dynamics Saves NASA's Next Mars Mission

NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission was saved from cancellation by an innovative orbital trajectory that allows it to launch outside the standard Mars transfer windows, using a loiter orbit to wait for planetary alignment. The mission will launch on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which offers excess ca...