United Launch Alliance (ULA) is an American launch service provider, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. As a launch provider, ULA designs, assembles, sells, and launches rockets like the Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur, providing access to space for national security payloads, commercial satellites, and deep-space exploration missions. Its primary customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, and commercial entities. Key activities involve launch services, rocket development, and partnerships with organizations like NASA and ESA for various space missions.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
United Launch Alliance began planning the Vulcan modifications before a February Space Force mission anomaly involving the Vulcan booster.
Amazon has secured over 100 launches across United Launch Alliance, Arianespace, SpaceX, and Blue Origin to support the Amazon Leo deployment ramp-up.
Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and ULA have transitioned to Part 450 launch licensing requirements.
United Launch Alliance plans a static fire of the modified Vulcan hardware at the end of April.
Operators that transitioned legacy licenses by the March 9, 2026 deadline include Blue Origin New Shepard, Firefly Aerospace Alpha, SpaceX Falcon 9, SpaceX Falcon Heavy, SpaceX Dragon, Rocket Lab Electron, and United Launch Alliance Atlas and Vulcan.
United Launch Alliance expects to fly its first modified Vulcan this summer.
United Launch Alliance is modifying Vulcan’s nozzle and solid rocket boosters to improve performance margins.
United Launch Alliance has already begun production of the first flight set of nozzles for the modified Vulcan.
ULA technicians at Cape Canaveral have stacked the Centaur upper stage atop Atlas V for the Leo Atlas V LA-05 mission.
NASA will use United Launch Alliance’s Centaur V upper stage for lunar missions starting with Artemis IV.
NASA concluded that a solid rocket booster issue on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan USSF-87 mission should not affect the Northrop Grumman-made solid rocket boosters for Artemis 2.
United Launch Alliance is planning an Atlas V 551 launch for March 30, 2026 to carry production broadband satellites for Amazon's constellation.
United Launch Alliance will use the Atlas V in the 551 configuration for the Leo 5 mission.
The March 30, 2026 Atlas V 551 launch by United Launch Alliance is identified as the mission Leo 5.
SpaceX and United Launch Alliance led industry opposition to the debris disposal mandate.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) plans the fifth Atlas V 551 launch carrying production satellites for Amazon Leo, designated Leo 5.
The fifth launch of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V 551 is planned for March 30, 2026, pending range approval.
United Launch Alliance is the launch provider for the planned March 30, 2026 Atlas V 551 mission.
United Launch Alliance expected to perform 18 to 22 launches in 2026, with two to four Atlas 5 launches and 16 to 18 Vulcan launches.
A Vulcan launch experienced a sudden shower of sparks about 65 seconds after liftoff, and ULA observed a significant performance anomaly on one of the four solid rocket motors during that flight.