United Launch Alliance (ULA) is set to launch its first national security mission aboard the Vulcan Centaur rocket on August 12, 2025. The rocket will carry a U.S. Space Force mission to geosynchronous orbit using the high-performance Centaur V upper stage.
This mission marks a significant milestone for ULA, as it has already conducted two successful test flights of the Vulcan rocket in January 2024 and October 2024. Despite experiencing issues during its second flight, including an engine nozzle failure on one of its solid rocket boosters, the rocket’s performance impressed the Space Force enough to certify it for national security missions.
The launch will provide assured access to space, a critical element of national security, according to Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, the Space Force’s program executive officer. The addition of Vulcan certification doubles the number of certified U.S. national security launch providers, with only SpaceX currently offering this service before the Atlas V rocket’s retirement in 2030.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket will deploy the USSF-106 mission directly to geosynchronous orbit, demonstrating its capability for high-performance spaceflight. With this successful launch, ULA takes a major step forward in providing reliable and efficient access to space for the nation’s most critical space-based systems.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/vulcan-centaur-rocket-to-launch-1st-national-security-mission-on-aug-12