Vulcan family
Vulcan VC2S
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.
Vulcan VC2S is built by United Launch Alliance of the United States. Company background, funding, contracts and news for this operator are tracked on Space Index. It first flew on 8 January 2024.
Flight record
Payload
| Low Earth orbit | 19,000kg |
|---|---|
| Sun-synchronous orbit | 15,200kg |
| Geostationary transfer orbit | 8,400kg |
| Geostationary orbit | 2,600kg |
Vehicle
| Stages | 2 |
|---|---|
| Length | 61.6m |
| Diameter | 5.4m |
| Launch mass | 663t |
| Liftoff thrust | 9,303kN |
| Maiden flight | 2024-01-08 |
| Reusable | No |
Pads used
Orbits delivered
Launch history
| Date | Mission | Pad | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-04 | Vulcan VC2S | Certification Flight 2 | Space Launch Complex 41 | Heliocentric N/A | Success |
| 2024-01-08 | Vulcan VC2S | Peregrine lunar lander (Maiden flight) | Space Launch Complex 41 | Lunar Orbit | Success |
| TBD | Vulcan VC2S | GPS IIIF SV04 (USSF-88) | Space Launch Complex 41 | Medium Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.
Further reading: Wikipedia · Operator page