List of Vulcan launches

This is a list of launches made by the Vulcan Centaur rocket since its maiden launch on January 8, 2024. All future launches are on hold pending an investigation.

Notable missions Peregrine Mission One

Peregrine Mission One was a lunar lander built by Astrobotic Technology, selected as a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. It was launched on the maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur on January 8, 2024, at 07:18 UTC. The Vulcan Centaur successfully placed Peregrine into trans-lunar injection, however, following a fuel leak with the spacecraft unrelated to the Vulcan Centaur, the lander failed in its attempt to land on the Moon.

Launch statistics

Launch outcomes

Launch sites

Rocket configurations

Launch history 2024

Flight No. Date / time (UTC) Rocket,configuration Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launchoutcome1 January 8, 202407:18 Vulcan Centaur VC2S Cape Canaveral, SLC41 Peregrine lander TLI Astrobotic Technology Success Enterprise (space burial) Heliocentric Celestis Maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur and Vulcan Centaur VC2S Configuration. Certification-1 mission, the first of two launches needed to certify the rocket for National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. Payload from Celestis, demonstrated engine restart capability of the Centaur upper stage delivering multiple payloads to different orbits. The Peregrine payload failed in transit to the Moon, precluding a landing attempt, due to reasons unrelated to the launch vehicle.2 October 4, 202411:25 Vulcan Centaur VC2S Cape Canaveral, SLC41 Mass simulator Heliocentric United Launch Alliance Certification-2 mission, the second of two launches needed to certify the rocket for NSSL missions. Originally scheduled to carry the first flight of Dream Chaser; however, due to schedule delays with Dream Chaser, ULA flew a mass simulator with experiments and demonstrations of future Centaur V technologies. Approximately 37 seconds into the launch, the nozzle on one of solid rocket boosters (SRB) fell off resulting in a shower of debris in the exhaust plume. Although the SRB continued to function for its full 90-second burn, the loss of the nozzle led to reduced and asymmetrical thrust causing the rocket to momentarily tilt slightly. The guidance system adjusted the main engines and extended their burn by roughly 20 seconds to compensate for the loss with the rocket achieving nominal orbital insertion. The nozzle failure was attributed to a manufacturing defect in an insulator located inside the nozzle.

2025

Flight No. Date / time (UTC) Rocket,configuration Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launchoutcome3 August 13, 202500:56 Vulcan Centaur VC4S Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-106 (NTS-3 & TBA) ~ GSO U.S. Space Force Maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur VC4S Configuration. First NSSL mission for Vulcan Centaur. Carried Navigation Technology Satellite 3 (NTS-3), an experimental spacecraft to test technologies for next-generation GPS satellites.

2026

Flight No. Date / time (UTC) Rocket,configuration Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customer Launchoutcome4 February 12, 202609:22 Vulcan Centaur VC4S Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-87 GSO U.S. Space Force Primary GSSAP 7 & 8 with multiple secondary payloads aboard Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar platform. Once again one GEM 63XL SRB malfunctioned with the rocket core stage compensating and allowing the rocket to achieve a nominal orbital insertion. This second SRB malfunction has led to the US Space Force pausing NSSL launches on Vulcan until issues with its SRBs are resolved, potentially necessitating switching missions to other rockets. This was the first launch to use the ULA's Offline Vertical Integration (OVI) process and was ULA’s longest mission to date, lasting nearly 10 hours from liftoff to end of mission.

Future launches

Future launches are listed chronologically when firm plans are in place. The order of the later launches is much less certain. Launches are expected to take place "no earlier than" (NET) the listed date.

2026

Date / time (UTC) Rocket, configuration Launch site Payload Orbit Customer October 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC6L Cape Canaveral, SLC41 LeoSat × 40 (LV-01) LEO Amazon (Amazon Leo) First of 38 Vulcan Centaur launches for Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper. First planned launch of Vulcan's most powerful configuration, VC6. First planned launch to use the shortened LEO-optimized Centaur V. First Vulcan to be integrated in VIF-A. 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC6L Cape Canaveral, SLC41 LeoSat × 40 (LV-02) LEO Amazon (Amazon Leo) Second of 38 Vulcan Centaur launches for Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-57 (NG-OPIR-GEO 1) GEO U.S. Space Force Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite. 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC2S Vandenberg, SLC3E SDA T1TR-B LEO SDA Tranche 1 Tracking Layer B missile tracking satellites. First Vulcan launch from Vandenberg. 2026Vulcan Centaur VC4Cape Canaveral, SLC41NROL-64NROFirst NRO launch on Vulcan. Possibly SunRISE 1-6 as secondary. 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC2S Vandenberg, SLC3E SDA T1TR-D LEO SDA Tranche 1 Tracking Layer D missile tracking satellites. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Vandenberg, SLC3E SDA T2TL-B LEO SDA Tranche 2 Transport Layer B missile tracking satellites. 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC4L Cape Canaveral, SLC41 SSC Demo-1 (Dream Chaser Tenacity) LEO (ISS) NASA (CRS) First flight of Dream Chaser. Maiden flight of the Vulcan Centaur VC4L configuration. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-43 (LDPE-4 & TBA) U.S. Space Force Rapid On-orbit Space Technology Evaluation Ring (ROOSTER)-4 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC2L Cape Canaveral, SLC41 WGS-11 (PTS-P1) GEO U.S. Space Force Military communications satellite. Maiden flight of the Vulcan Centaur VC2L configuration. Protected Tactical Satcom prototype payload. The PTS payload will fly on dedicated Northrop Grumman built ESPAStar-HP satellite bus. 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC4S Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-112 U.S. Space Force Classified payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-23 U.S. Space Force Classified payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-16 U.S. Space Force Classified payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Vandenberg, SLC3E USSF-114 U.S. Space Force Classified payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Vandenberg, SLC3E NROL-83 NRO Classified NRO payload. First announced Vulcan Centaur launch from Vandenberg. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 Silentbarker 2A, 2B, 2C (NROL-118) GEO U.S. Space Force (NRO) Classified USSF & NRO partnered program. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 NROL-56 NRO Classified NRO payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Vandenberg, SLC3E NROL-73 NRO Classified NRO payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Vandenberg, SLC3E NROL-100 NRO Classified NRO payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 NROL-109 NRO Classified NRO payload. 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 STP-5 LEO U.S. Space Force Two satellites for Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office 2026 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 Missile Track Custody 1 (USSF-95) MEO U.S. Space Force First launch of Missile Track Custody satellites.

2027

Date / time (UTC) Rocket, configuration Launch site Payload Orbit Customer Q2 2027 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 GPS IIIF-1 MEO U.S. Space Force First GPS Block IIIF navigation satellite. Q2 2027 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 GPS IIIF-2 MEO U.S. Space Force Also designated USSF-49 under NSSL. 2027 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-50 (NG-OPIR-GEO 2) GEO U.S. Space Force Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite. 2027 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 NROL-88 TBA NRO Classified NRO Mission.

2028

Date / time (UTC) Rocket, configuration Launch site Payload Orbit Customer Q1 2028 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 GPS IIIF-3 MEO U.S. Space Force Also designated USSF-15 under NSSL. Q3 2028 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 GPS IIIF-4 MEO U.S. Space Force Also designated USSF-88 under NSSL. Q3 2028 Vulcan Centaur Cape Canaveral, SLC41 USSF-70 U.S. Space Force Swapped with Falcon 9 due to GPS IIII SV10 switch under National Security Space Launch.

TBD

Date / time (UTC) Rocket, configuration Launch site Payload Orbit Customer TBD Vulcan Centaur VC6L Cape Canaveral, SLC41 LeoSat × 45 (LV-03 to LV-38) LEO Amazon (Amazon Leo) 38 Vulcan Centaur launches ordered for Amazon Leo.

List of Vulcan launches

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