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 delayed the Space Force STP-3 launch that had been scheduled for 2021-06-23 because the mission was planned to fly with the enhanced RL10 engine.
United Launch Alliance plans to launch Boeing’s Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2 mission to the International Space Station on 2021-07-30 before resuming Atlas V flights with the older RL10 configuration.
United Launch Alliance delayed the first Vulcan Centaur launch to 2022 because of customer payload delays.
United Launch Alliance will not use the upgraded RL10 upper-stage engine with the carbon nozzle extension in upcoming Atlas V missions while it investigates vibrations observed during a 2021-05-18 flight.
United Launch Alliance delayed the Space Test Program-3 mission on 2021-06-04 and indicated the delay was required to evaluate launch vehicle readiness.
SpaceX and United Launch Alliance were selected as the two launch providers for Phase 2 of the National Security Space Launch program for a five-year period from 2022 to 2027.
United Launch Alliance launched a GPS satellite in 2019 on the final flight of the Delta 4 Medium rocket before retiring that vehicle.
The Department of Defense awarded United Launch Alliance and SpaceX five-year launch service contracts in August 2020 for approximately 34 launches from 2022 through 2027.
Technical challenges in the development of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket could prevent the Department of Defense from ending its reliance on the Russian-made RD-180 engine by 2022 as required by Congress.
The BE-4 engine under development for ULA’s Vulcan rocket experienced technical challenges related to igniter and booster capabilities and may not be qualified in time to support first launches beginning in 2021.
The Department of Defense launched satellites on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, which uses the RD-180 engine to power its first stage, for decades.
If United Launch Alliance cannot complete engine qualification before the 2021 flight certification, the program might continue to rely on ULA’s Atlas V to support 2022 launches despite a nearly $2,900,000,000 investment in Vulcan development.
United Launch Alliance bid its new Vulcan rocket, which uses the domestically produced BE-4 engine made by Blue Origin, for the DoD launch contract.
United Launch Alliance is working with the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center to determine the next available launch opportunity for the STP-3 mission.
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket carrying the STP-3 mission for the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center has been delayed to evaluate launch vehicle readiness.
The five National Security Space Launch missions planned for 2022 will be split between United Launch Alliance and SpaceX.
The Space Force awarded five-year launch deals to United Launch Alliance and SpaceX last year to launch Department of Defense and intelligence agency satellites.
United Launch Alliance announced in 2015 that it would build Vulcan as its next-generation rocket to replace the Atlas 5 and the Delta 4.
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander will launch on the inaugural flight of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, currently scheduled for no earlier than late 2021.
United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin signed a deal in 2014 to jointly fund development of the BE-4 rocket engine.