During a trial run, Vulcan Centaur encountered an abnormality with its propulsion system, yet successfully reached orbit.
The 200-foot Vulcan Centaur rocket embarked on its second test flight, soaring through the morning sky. Despite a smooth ascent, a hiccup with one of the solid rocket boosters left a bit of a black mark on the otherwise impressive launch. United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched the heavy-lift rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:25 a.m. ET, after a delayed countdown.
The rocket managed to break free from Earth's grips during its three-hour launch window, reaching preliminary orbit in a mostly successful mission. However, just 35 seconds after liftoff, a noticeable issue arose. A plume of material suddenly appeared emanating from one of the two boosters[1][3]. Despite initial silence from ULA during the live broadcast, company CEO Tory Bruno acknowledged the anomaly after the second engine burn, assuring the mission was otherwise nominal[2].
wrote on X.
The Cert-2 mission aims to certify Vulcan for national security missions. If the Vulcan Centaur passes the certification process, it will have two U.S. military payloads in orbit this year. The original plan included Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane, but the experimental craft wasn't quite ready for takeoff. Consequently, ULA launched the mission with a mass simulator, utilizing the Cert-2 mission solely for data collection after facing pressure from Vulcan's packed schedules[1].
appeared to be coming off one of its two boosters.
As the rocket’s primary customer during the test flights, ULA absorbed the full cost of the launch. The data from the second test flight will undergo review by the U.S. Space Force, with the certification process still requiring a few more weeks. The booster glitch may prompt further investigation or potentially necessitate a third test flight.
reported. “Other than that, the flight was nominal.”
The Vulcan Centaur is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, conceived in 2006. ULA intends to compete with industry giant SpaceX, providing the burgeoning space market with additional options to reach orbit[3].
Cert-2 mission is the rocket’s second certification flight, with the main purpose being for the U.S. Space Force to certify Vulcan for national security missions. If it succeeds in getting its certification, the rocket will carry two U.S. military payloads to orbit this year.
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Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane, but the experimental vehicle was not ready to take off just yet. Facing pressure by Vulcan’s packed schedule, ULA decided to launch its rocket with a mass simulator (a dummy payload) and other instruments, making data gathering the sole purpose of the Cert-2 mission. The rocket’s first test flight in January
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launched Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander to the Moon.
The Cert-2 mission, aiming to certify the Vulcan Centaur for national security missions, relies heavily on advanced technology and science. If successful, the rocket will contribute to the future of space travel by carrying two U.S. military payloads into orbit this year, as reported. Despite a minor issue with one of the solid rocket boosters during its second test flight, the rocket's primary customer, United Launch Alliance (ULA), absorbed the costs, highlighting their commitment to the mission. The href link https://x.com/ulalaunch/status/1842149864181809253 provides updates on the launch.