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.
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The Space Force awarded SpaceX access to SLC-6, also known as Slick Six, in 2023 after the final launch of United Launch Alliance’s Delta 4 from the site.
Atmos’s technology uses an inflatable heat shield similar to NASA’s 2022 LOFTID demonstration and to an inflatable concept United Launch Alliance proposed to recover the Vulcan rocket’s engine section.
ULA declared the Cert-2 mission a success after two burns of the Centaur upper stage.
ULA is studying SMART reuse technology that would involve returning only the engine section of the first stage.
ULA's CEO Tory Bruno expressed confidence in the upcoming second flight of the Vulcan Centaur rocket.
ULA absorbed the launch cost for Cert-2, estimated to be in the high tens of millions of dollars, to keep the schedule on track.
ULA aims to obtain certification from the Space Force before the launch of two national security missions scheduled for the end of the year.
The Cert-2 mission was important for ULA as it is aimed at obtaining certification from the US Space Force for national security missions.
ULA will provide mission data to the Space Force for review within weeks after the Cert-2 launch.
Bruno indicated that ULA is preparing the Vulcan for the upcoming national security missions while awaiting certification.
ULA conducted the Cert-2 mission without a paying customer to ensure the mission took place on schedule.
United Launch Alliance is slated to launch the first batch of Kuiper production satellites on an Atlas V rocket in the last three months of 2024.
ULA announced it would fly an inert payload on its second Vulcan launch in September due to delays in testing for Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser.
ULA CEO Tory Bruno ruled out flying a customer payload on the Vulcan launch Cert-2 mission.
Clint Hunt is the director of intelligence and defense programs at United Launch Alliance.
ULA plans to fly a mass simulator on its next Vulcan launch in September 2023 instead of the previously planned Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane.
ULA expressed concerns that SpaceX's planned operations at LC-39A could obstruct access to space for other launch operators.
United Launch Alliance will receive $1,500,000 to conduct an initial capabilities assessment for NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1.
The Phase 3 contracts awarded to Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA are potentially worth $5,600,000,000 over five years.
As part of the Phase 3 contract, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance will each receive $1,500,000 for mission assurance work as incumbent Phase 2 providers.