Vulcan VC6L

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
    877.0 T
  • Thrust
    18110.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Vulcan VC6L
  • Family
  • Variant
    VC6L
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Vulcan VC6L
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    27200.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    15300.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
    7000.0 kg
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    23900.0 kg

United Launch Alliance

Commercial
CEO: Tory Bruno
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 VC6L | Project Kuiper (Vulcan #1)

United Launch Alliance | United States of America
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
TBD September, 2025
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:

Project Kuiper is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, this constellation will be managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,276 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km altitude. 45 satellites will be carried on each Vulcan launch.

Low Earth Orbit
Explore Share

Long March 3
Success
2 days, 16 hours ago
ChinaSat 9C
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Ku- and Ka-band geostationary communication satellite for China Satcom at 92.2° East, replacing ChinaSat 9.


Angara A5/Briz-M
Success
4 days, 2 hours ago
Kosmos (Unknown Payload)
35/1 - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Unidentified payload for the Russian military.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 23 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-18
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 1 hour ago
Starlink Group 15-9
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 26 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Zhangheng-1-02
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Zhangheng 1-02, also known as CSES-02 (China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite-02), is the follow-on mission to Zhangheng 1/CSES, a Chinese–Italian sp…