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.
The U.S. Air Force selected SpaceX and United Launch Alliance as the winners of the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 launch service procurement on 2020-08-07.
Lucy is a Discovery-class mission selected by NASA in 2017 and is scheduled to launch in October 2021 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V.
SpaceX and United Launch Alliance will launch up to 34 missions for the Defense Department under the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement.
Galaxy-30 is a replacement for Intelsat's Galaxy-14 satellite, an 11-year-old satellite from Maxar Technologies that launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V in 2009.
Northrop Grumman delivered three GEM 63 solid rocket motors to United Launch Alliance that will fly later 2020 on an Atlas 5 vehicle.
The development of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur is partially funded by a $967,000,000 six-year Launch Service Agreement contract awarded by the Air Force in 2018.
United Launch Alliance carried out a corporate transformation beginning in 2014 that reduced overhead by shedding facilities, eliminating staff, reorganizing its supply chain, retiring the Delta II and Delta IV Medium vehicles, and reducing the number of Atlas V configurations.
Blue Origin delivered the first BE-4 test engine to ULA’s factory in Decatur, Alabama.
A second BE-4 engine was in transit to ULA’s factory, and two flight BE-4 engines for Vulcan’s main booster will be delivered soon.
United Launch Alliance received a $337,000,000 contract to launch USSF-51 in the second quarter of fiscal year 2022 and USSF-106 in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022.
Phase 2 contracts will be awarded annually, so the 60/40 mission split between ULA and SpaceX will not be exact each year.
The Air Force selected United Launch Alliance and SpaceX as the two launch providers for Phase 2 of the National Security Space Launch program covering 2022 through 2027.
Because United Launch Alliance received the highest score in the Phase 2 selection, ULA will receive 60% of the estimated 34 Phase 2 missions to be flown over a five- to six-year period.
The Air Force awarded contracts for the first three Phase 2 missions to SpaceX and ULA for National Reconnaissance Office payloads.
The October 2018 Launch Service Agreement awards provided Blue Origin $500 million, Northrop Grumman $792 million, and ULA $967,000,000 to be spread out through 2024.
United Launch Alliance was awarded a $337,000,000 Phase 2 contract to launch two missions, USSF-51 and USSF-106, scheduled for the second and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2022, respectively.
The Air Force awarded ULA 60% of the Phase 2 missions to be flown over five years and awarded SpaceX the remaining 40% of Phase 2 missions.
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Launch Capabilities (ELC) funding was awarded yearly to ULA for infrastructure and engineering support and was discontinued in 2019.
SpaceX filed a federal lawsuit in 2014 challenging the Air Force’s block buy contract to United Launch Alliance for Atlas 5 and Delta 4 launches.
Between 2022 and 2027 United Launch Alliance and SpaceX will collectively fly as many as 34 missions for the Department of Defense and the National Reconnaissance Office under firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery contracts.