Vulcan VC4L

Active

United Launch Alliance (ULA)

None

Description

Vulcan Centaur is a two-stage-to-orbit, heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by United Launch Alliance (ULA) since 2014. It is principally designed to meet launch demands for the U.S. government's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program for use by the United States Space Force and U.S. intelligence agencies for national security satellite launches. It will replace both of ULA's existing launchers (Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy) in this role, as these launchers are retiring.

Specifications

Stages
2
Length
67.4 m
Diameter
5.4 m
Fairing Diameter
5.4 m
Launch Mass
770.0 T
Thrust
13706.0 kN

Family

Name
Vulcan VC4L
Family
―
Variant
VC4L
Alias
―
Full Name
Vulcan VC4L

Payload Capacity

Launch Cost
―
Low Earth Orbit
24600.0 kg
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
11700.0 kg
Direct Geostationary
4900.0 kg
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
20000.0 kg

United Launch Alliance

Commercial

Interim CEO: John Elbon

ULA 2006

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. ULA launches from both coasts of the US. They launch their Atlas V vehicle from LC-41 in Cape Canaveral and LC-3E at Vandeberg. Their Delta IV launches from LC-37 at Cape Canaveral and LC-6 at Vandenberg.

Upcoming Spaceflights

Vulcan VC4L | Dream Chaser CRS 2 Flight 1

United Launch Alliance | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
TBD December, 2026

Status: To Be Determined

Mission:

First flight of the Dream Chaser Spaceplane, on a free-flying mission in Low Earth Orbit.

Low Earth Orbit

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Vulcan VC4L | Dream Chaser CRS 2 Flight 2

United Launch Alliance | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
TBD December, 2027

Status: To Be Determined

Mission:

Second flight of the Dream Chaser Spaceplane. It may dock to the ISS depending on results from Flight 1.

Low Earth Orbit

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Flight Record

No spaceflights found for .

Recent Launches

Falcon 9

Success

1 day, 8 hours ago

GPS III SV10

Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Tenth of ten GPS III missions.

Falcon 9

Success

2 days, 23 hours ago

Starlink Group 17-22

Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

New Glenn

Failure

3 days, 4 hours ago

BlueBird Block 2 #2

Launch Complex 36A - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

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Long March 4C

Success

5 days, 11 hours ago

Daqi-2 (AEMS)

Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

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Soyuz 2.1b/Volga

Success

5 days, 16 hours ago

Kosmos (Unknown Payload)

43/4 (43R) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Unknown satellite(s) for the Russian military.