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 was formed in 2006 and refitted Space Launch Complex-6 to serve as the West Coast home for the Delta IV launch vehicle family with modifications to the Mobile Assembly Shelter, Mobile Service Tower, Launch Tower, and other support structures.
Northrop Grumman produced 11 large composite structures for the ULA Delta IV Heavy, including three thermal shields, three centerbody structures, the payload fairing, the composite interstage on the center common booster core, the nose cones on the two strap-on boosters, and one set of X-panel structures.
United Launch Alliance’s next launch after NROL-82 was the Space Based Infrared System GEO Flight 5 mission for the U.S. Space Force, scheduled for 2021-05-17 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
United Launch Alliance has worked with Cablenet since 2008.
A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket launched the NROL-82 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Vulcan Centaur is United Launch Alliance’s next-generation rocket designed to provide higher performance and greater affordability while delivering reliability and precision.
Aerojet Rocketdyne supplied the engines that powered the ULA Delta IV Heavy rocket that launched NROL-82.
United Launch Alliance launched the classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite NROL-82 on a Delta IV Heavy rocket on 2021-04-26 at 1:47 p.m. Pacific from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
United Launch Alliance last launched a Delta IV Heavy on 2020-12-10 on the NROL-44 mission.
NROL-82 is the first of four remaining Delta IV Heavy missions that the U.S. Space Force contracted with United Launch Alliance and are projected to be completed by 2024.
A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket is in final preparations to launch the NROL-82 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office to support national security.
United Launch Alliance has launched 142 times with 100 percent mission success.
Amazon ordered nine Atlas V rockets from United Launch Alliance on 2021-04-19 for its Project Kuiper broadband constellation.
United Launch Alliance has successfully delivered more than 140 missions to orbit.
Astrobotic will launch its first CLPS mission, the Peregrine lunar lander, on the inaugural flight of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur currently scheduled for late 2021.
Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RS-68A completed its final hot-fire acceptance test for use on the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on the B-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
In 2018 United Launch Alliance envisioned ACES as a transportation system that would operate in space for weeks or months performing missions in different orbits.
United Launch Alliance plans to increase upper stage endurance by up to roughly 450 to 600 times over the next handful of years.
At 8:00 a.m. EDT on 2021-04-01 the Centaur upper stage emerged from the ship and was moved to the ULA facility for final preparations.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V built to carry the SBIRS GEO Flight 5 satellite arrived at Cape Canaveral, Florida on 2021-04-01 after sailing aboard the R/S RocketShip.