Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 14 |
| 2027 | 0 | 19 |
| 2028 | 0 | 23 |
| 2029 | 0 | 25 |
| 2030 | 0 | 25 |
| 2031 | 0 | 25 |
| 2032 | 0 | 25 |
| 2033 | 0 | 25 |
| 2034 | 0 | 25 |
| 2035 | 0 | 25 |
| 2036 | 0 | 25 |
| 2037 | 0 | 25 |
| 2038 | 0 | 25 |
| 2039 | 0 | 25 |
| 2040 | 0 | 25 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | LEO | 27,200 kg | 200 km | 28.7 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | LEO | 27,200 kg | 200 km | 28.7 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vulcan Centaur VC2L | Not stated | 0 | active |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2S | Not stated | 2 | active |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4L | Not stated | 0 | active |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4S | Not stated | 2 | active |
| 2041 | 0 | 25 |
2 launch locations represented.
| Year | Location | Launches | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 10 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2026 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 4 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2027 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 13 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2027 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 6 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2028 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 15 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2028 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 8 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2029 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2029 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2030 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2030 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2031 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2031 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2032 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2032 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2033 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2033 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2034 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2034 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2035 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2035 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2036 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2036 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
| 2037 | Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral (Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida) | 16 | 65% | Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida a... |
| 2037 | Space Launch Complex 3-East, Vandenberg AFB (South Vandenberg AFB, California) | 9 | 50% | Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabi... |
Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida and Vandenberg after ...
Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabilize.
Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida and Vandenberg after ...
Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabilize.
Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida and Vandenberg after ...
| Vulcan Centaur VC4L |
| LEO |
| 27,200 kg |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| Manual Vulcan VC4L fallback from nearby Vulcan Centaur performance profile. |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4S | LEO | 27,200 kg | Unknown | Unknown | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | LEO | 25,600 kg | 407 km | 51.6 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | Polar | 23,900 kg | 200 km | 90 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | Polar | 23,900 kg | 200 km | 90 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | SSO | 22,300 kg | 555 km | 98.75 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2L | LEO | 19,000 kg | 200 km | 28.7 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4L | SSO | 18,500 kg | 555 km | 98.75 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2S | LEO | 16,300 kg | 407 km | 51.6 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2L | LEO | 16,300 kg | 407 km | 51.6 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide / public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2L | Polar | 15,200 kg | 200 km | 90 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | GTO | 14,500 kg | Unknown | 27 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | GTO | 14,400 kg | Unknown | 27 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2S | SSO | 14,400 kg | 555 km | 98.75 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | GTO | 12,000 kg | Unknown | 19.2 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4S | GTO | 11,600 kg | Unknown | 27 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | TLI | 11,500 kg | Unknown | Unknown | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | TLI | 11,300 kg | Unknown | Unknown | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | HEO | 10,600 kg | Unknown | 63.4 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4L | GTO | 9,500 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Manual Vulcan VC4L fallback from nearby Vulcan Centaur performance profile. |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4S | GTO | 9,500 kg | Unknown | 19.2 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4S | TLI | 9,100 kg | Unknown | Unknown | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC4S | HEO | 8,900 kg | Unknown | 63.4 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2L | GTO | 8,400 kg | Unknown | 27 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2S | GTO | 8,300 kg | Unknown | 27 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User's Guide |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | MEO | 8,100 kg | 20,368 km | 55 deg | ULA Vulcan public performance page |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | MEO | 7,900 kg | 20,368 km | 55 deg | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | escape | 7,600 kg | Unknown | Unknown | ULA Vulcan Launch Systems User Guide October 2023 |
| Vulcan Centaur VC2S |
| Jan 8, 2024 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
| Vulcan Centaur VC6L | Not stated | 0 | active |
| Vulcan Centaur VC6S | Not stated | 0 | active |
Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabilize.
Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida and Vandenberg after ...
Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabilize.
Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida and Vandenberg after ...
Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabilize.
Base assumes ULA reaches its stated 18-22 total annual company cadence in 2026 only partially on Vulcan, then stabilizes around 25 Vulcan/year across Florida and Vandenberg after ...
Vandenberg supports NSSL/polar missions. Base ramps from a small 2026 count to a mature 9/year as pad, upper-stage, SRB, and national-security processing stabilize.
The Space Force selected Vulcan in 2020 to launch 60% of the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 missions.