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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United Launch Alliance has launched 158 times with 100 percent mission success as of the Protoflight mission statement.
United Launch Alliance launched two prototype satellites for Project Kuiper on 2023-10-06.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Protoflight mission for Amazon’s Project Kuiper lifted off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on 2023-10-06 at 2:06 p.m. EDT.
United Launch Alliance has performed 158 launches since its formation in 2006 and 20 of those missions have been for commercial clients.
The ULA Atlas V 501 rocket carrying Amazon’s Project Kuiper Protoflight mission is planned to lift off on 2023-10-06 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
United Launch Alliance and SpaceX won NSSL Phase 2 in 2020.
On 2023-09-10, DLA Energy provided high purity hydrazine and rocket propellant kerosene for United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V launch.
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V 501 rocket for Amazon’s Project Kuiper Protoflight mission is planned to lift off on 2023-10-06.
SpaceX, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance in the United States and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Landspace, and iSpace in China have launched or are close to launching methane–liquid oxygen launchers.
Amazon and United Launch Alliance have a broader partnership in which ULA will provide launches to help deploy Project Kuiper’s LEO satellite constellation.
United Launch Alliance will launch an Atlas V 501 rocket carrying Amazon’s Project Kuiper Protoflight mission on 2023-10-06 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
Amazon plans to test brightness mitigations with its first two Kuiper prototype satellites slated to launch in the first week of October on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V.
ULA CEO Tory Bruno stated that the first Vulcan launch was postponed due to a test anomaly but is expected to fly in December.
Amazon is developing the 3,236-satellite Project Kuiper system and has contracts for up to 83 launches with Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance.
In late 2022 the U.S. Export-Import Bank approved $407,000,000 in financing for the launch by SpaceX and United Launch Alliance of two ViaSat-3 satellites through Viasat’s United Kingdom subsidiary.
ULA CEO Tory Bruno raised concerns about the Phase 3 strategy and argued that it would not be a competition if everybody wins.
United Launch Alliance estimates the commercial geostationary launch market is roughly stable at about 10 launches per year.
United Launch Alliance is using a three-part approach to build up launch capacity for Kuiper that includes infrastructure improvements, launching Kuiper satellites on Atlas rockets, and stockpiling Vulcan hardware.
Amazon awarded contracts in April 2022 to Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance for up to 83 launches of Ariane 6, New Glenn, and Vulcan Centaur rockets to deploy the 3,236-satellite Project Kuiper constellation.
United Launch Alliance estimates the commercial geostationary launch market is currently about 10 launches per year.