Vulcan

Blue Origin joins an industry team for Vulcan that includes Aerojet Rocketdyne providing the RL10 engine for the rocket's upper stage, Northrop Grumman supplying solid-fuel strap-on boosters, L-3 Avionics Systems providing the rocket's avionics, and Ruag supplying the rocket's payload fairing.

United Launch Alliance will use a pair of Blue Origin BE-4 engines using liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the first stage of its Vulcan rocket expected to make a first launch in mid-2020.

On 2018-09-27 United Launch Alliance selected Blue Origin's LOX/LNG BE-4 engine to power the first stage of the Vulcan rocket.

United Launch Alliance selected Blue Origin to provide the main engine for its next-generation Vulcan launch vehicle on 2018-09-27.

United Launch Alliance plans a first launch of the Vulcan rocket in 2020.

United Launch Alliance won three contracts valued at $13,900,000 for launch vehicle technologies including testing an integrated vehicle fluids flight demonstration and cryogenic propellant management for its Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage for later Vulcan variants.

The tower at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral was augmented so it can be more easily modified to support the Vulcan rocket, which will require the tower’s height to be increased.

United Launch Alliance selected Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RL-10 engine to power Vulcan’s upper stage.

Aerojet Rocketdyne is developing the RL10C-X with United Launch Alliance, and United Launch Alliance plans to use the RL10C-X in the upper stage of its Vulcan rocket under an agreement reached in May.

United Launch Alliance selected Orbital ATK boosters in 2015 for future Atlas flights and for its Vulcan next-generation launch vehicle, prompting Aerojet Rocketdyne to close its Atlas 5 booster business.

United Launch Alliance announced in May that it will use the RL10 in the upper stage of its Vulcan rocket and will work with Aerojet Rocketdyne on development of the RL10C-X.

The BE-4 engine is being developed for Blue Origin’s New Glenn and is a competitor to serve as the first-stage engine for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket.

United Launch Alliance selected Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RL10C-X engine to power the upper stage of its next-generation Vulcan rocket on 2018-05-11.

Orbital ATK plans to buy enough RD-181 engines to cover the first four launches under its CRS-2 contract and is studying using United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket and its own OmegA rocket for future Cygnus launches.