United Launch Alliance (ULA) is set to launch a critical national security payload on its Vulcan rocket. The 202-foot-tall rocket will carry two satellites, including the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3), designed by the Air Force Research Laboratory. This mission marks ULA’s return to launching payloads for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.
The NTS-3 satellite is an experimental navigation satellite that aims to augment the GPS system with new technologies. It will conduct over 100 experiments, including testing a phased array antenna and exploring “Chimera,” a method to authenticate satellite orbit data. The satellite was manufactured by L3Harris Technologies and built upon Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar satellite bus.
The Vulcan rocket features two Blue Origin-built BE-4 engines at liftoff, which have been successfully tested on previous ULA missions. The company has completed its certification process for the rocket, with its first launch under NSSL expected to occur soon.
This mission comes after years of development and certification, with ULA’s reliance on Russian-made engines ending. The company’s return to launching national security payloads marks a significant milestone in its history.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/08/12/live-coverage-ula-to-launch-first-national-security-mission-on-a-vulcan-rocket