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.
Space Systems Command awarded National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts to Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance.
Amazon’s Kuiper program contracted up to 83 launches from Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance, which is characterized as the largest commercial launch deal and could imply launch Capex as high as $6,000,000,000 to $10,000,000,000 at current market prices.
The 2024-06-05 Starliner mission contributes to ULA’s role in providing crewed launch capability in support of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams aboard the Boeing CST-100 Starliner lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida on 2024-06-05 at 10:52 a.m. EDT.
The 2024-06-05 launch was the first crewed mission launched by United Launch Alliance.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:52 a.m. Eastern on 2024-06-05 on the Crew Flight Test mission.
If Starliner does not launch by 2024-06-06, NASA and United Launch Alliance will stand down to perform work on the rocket that includes replacing expiring batteries.
If a card replacement was straightforward, United Launch Alliance expected the work could be completed in time for a 2024-06-02 launch attempt, otherwise the agency would move to a backup date of 2024-06-05.
A slip beyond 2024-06-06 would require United Launch Alliance to replace batteries in the rocket, and United Launch Alliance estimated that battery replacement work would take about 10 days.
NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance did not proceed with the planned 2024-05-25 launch of the Crew Flight Test mission carrying two NASA astronauts.
In 2020 the Space Force awarded United Launch Alliance one of two National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contracts with ULA winning 60% of missions over five years and SpaceX receiving 40%.
United Launch Alliance’s goal is to launch Dream Chaser to the International Space Station in the fall.
United Launch Alliance plans to be ready to fly in mid-2024 while Sierra Space has requested a launch period in the beginning of September.
United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket is contracted to perform 38 launches for Amazon to support deployment of the majority of the Project Kuiper constellation.
United Launch Alliance signed agreements with Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana and Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. in Bristol, Rhode Island to design, oversee, and build a new ship to transport Vulcan rockets from the factory in Decatur, Alabama to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Vandenberg Space Force Base.
United Launch Alliance uses Port Canaveral for delivering launch vehicles manufactured at its Alabama factory.
Starliner’s Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than 10:34 p.m. Eastern on 2024-05-06 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5.
Three ULA representatives on the Blue Team verify White Room safety, establish access to the capsule, deploy the environmental seal, and set up access platforms via a 48-foot-long retractable catwalk.
The ULA motorized payload transporter moved at a top speed of 5 mph during the move of Starliner to the Vertical Integration Facility and provided environmental controls for the spacecraft during transport.
The transporter that moved Starliner from Boeing’s C3PF to ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility operated at a top speed of 5 mph and provided environmental controls during transport.