fbpx
Wikipedia

United Launch Alliance

February 21, 2024

United Launch Alliance, LLC, commonly referred to as ULA, is an American aerospace manufacturer, defense contractor and launch service provider that manufactures and operates rockets that launch spacecraft into Earth orbit and on trajectories to other bodies in the Solar System. ULA also designed and builds the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the Space Launch System (SLS).

United Launch Alliance, LLC
Atlas V 551 launch with Juno spacecraft
Company typeJoint venture
IndustrySpace
launch provider
FoundedDecember 1, 2006; 17 years ago (2006-12-01)
HeadquartersCentennial, Colorado, United States
Key people
Tory Bruno (CEO)
Products
RevenueUS$1.32 billion (2018)
Number of employees
2500 (2018)[1]
3600 (2014)
3900 (2009)
4200 (2008)[2]
ParentLockheed Martin Space (50%)
Boeing Defense, Space & Security (50%)
Websitewww.ulalaunch.com

The company was formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The primary customers of ULA are the Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA.[3] ULA provides launch services using Delta IV Heavy, Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur launch vehicles. Using these and the retired Delta II and Delta IV launch systems, ULA has launched payloads including weather, telecommunications, and national security satellites, scientific probes and orbiters. ULA also launches the Boeing Starliner and commercial satellites.[4] ULA has announced plans to retire Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V.

In 2014 ULA began development of the Vulcan Centaur rocket as a successor to the Atlas V and Delta IV, with an initial flight planned for 2019.[5][6] After multiple delays, the maiden flight took place on 8 January 2024[7] with the initial mission launching Astrobotic Technology's Peregrine lunar lander.[8]

Company history edit

Formation edit

Boeing and Lockheed Martin announced their intent to form a 50–50 joint venture on 2 May 2005 aiming to consolidate the manufacture and deployment of US government expendable launch vehicles and launch services. The United Launch Alliance name was announced at the same time.[9] Prior to the creation of the United Launch Alliance and contrary to expectations of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a strong, competitive commercial launch market did not materialize within the United States. Estimated prices for future contracts and program costs increased, resulting in a Nunn-McCurdy cost breach.[10] There was also considerable turmoil within the United States Air Force (USAF) space community and between the two EELV launch service providers due to competition in the shrinking space launch market, cost increases, and the growing need for reliable access to space. This turmoil culminated in civil and criminal fraud accusations being brought against Boeing relating to the improper use of competitors' information and racketeering.[11][12]

As a result, the United States Department of Defense changed its acquisition strategy to one which would maintain assured access to space. Under the "Buy III" program, all fixed costs were covered by the US government, which brought about a deal between the two major EELV contractors to combine their efforts into a single company.[13] Annual savings were estimated to be US$100–150 million. SpaceX challenged the legality of the launch services monopoly on 23 October 2005 on anti-trust grounds, creating competition with reusable launch systems.[14] The Federal Trade Commission gave ULA anti-trust clearance on 3 October 2006.[15]

It was the FTC's opinion that due to the challenge of entering the government medium-to-heavy launch services market, the entry of SpaceX was unlikely to reverse the anti-competitive effects resulting from the formation of ULA,[16] but, it approved the joint venture on the basis that the benefits of assured access to space for national security outweighed anti-competitive harm.[17]

The commission required ULA to "cooperate on equivalent terms with all providers of government space vehicles ... provide equal consideration and support to all launch service providers when seeking any U.S. government delivery in orbit contract ... and to safeguard competitively sensitive information obtained from other providers of space vehicles and launch services".[16]

Michael Gass era (2005–2014) edit

ULA merged the production and operation of the two companies' government space launch services into one central plant in Decatur, Alabama, and merged all engineering into another central facility in Littleton, Colorado. The parent companies retained responsibility for marketing and sales of the Delta and Atlas rockets.[18]

ULA had a peak of seven space launch facilities between 2005 and 2011, including three Delta II launchpads, which were decommissioned starting in 2011.[19] Two years after its formation, in late 2008, ULA announced it would lay off 350 of its 4200 workers in early 2009.[2] In the event, ULA had approximately 3900 employees by August 2009.[20] ULA joined the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) in June 2010 as an executive member. ULA's CEO Michael Gass described the company's membership as a "natural fit for us, and we are proud to do so".[21] By May 2014, ULA's membership of the CSF had lapsed.[22]

With the introduction of competition from lower-cost launch providers and the annually increasing costs of ULA launches, increased attention has been paid to the amounts ULA has received for U.S. government launch contracts and for its annual government funding of $1 billion for launch capability and readiness. This readiness requirement included the maintenance of five launch pads and a number of variants of the Delta II, Delta IV, Delta IV Heavy, and Atlas V rockets.[13] As a result of increasing costs by ULA, in April 2012, the EELV program triggered a critical Nunn-McCurdy cost breach and a reassessment of the program, of which ULA was the sole participant.[11]

An uncontested USAF block-purchase of 36 rocket cores for up to 28 launches, which was valued at US$11 billion, was awarded in December 2013 and drew protest from SpaceX, which said the cost of ULA's launches were approximately US$460 million each and proposed a price of US$90 million to provide similar launches.[23] In response, ULA's CEO Michael Gass said its average launch price was US$225 million, with future launches as low as US$100 million.[24]

Tory Bruno era (2014 onward) edit

 
Tory Bruno with former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine

Michael Gass stepped down as ULA's CEO in August 2014 and was replaced by Tory Bruno, former vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Strategic and Missile Defense Systems.[25] ULA entered into a partnership with Blue Origin in September 2014 to develop the BE-4 LOX / methane engine to replace the RD-180 on a new, lower cost first-stage booster rocket. At the time, the engine was in its third year of development by Blue Origin. ULA said it expected the new stage and engine to start flying no earlier than 2019 on a successor to the Atlas V.[26] A month later, ULA announced a major restructuring of processes and workforce to halve launch costs, partly due to competition from SpaceX. The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) calculated the average cost of each ULA rocket launch for the U.S. government had risen to approximately US$420 million in 2014.[27][28]

ULA had less success securing deals for Earth observation, commercial communication, and privately owned satellites than it had with launching U.S. military payloads.[28] In November 2014, Tory Bruno stated the structuring was intended to "lead to improvements in how ULA interacts with its customers, both governmental and commercial", shorten launch cycles, and halve launch costs again.[29] Part of that program involved the development of a new rocket, the Vulcan, initially with private funds, to tackle "skyrocketing launch costs".[30] Bruno believed the new, lower-cost launcher could be competitive in the commercial satellite sector.[28] ULA intended to have preliminary design ideas in place for a blending of the Atlas V and Delta IV technology by the end of 2014[28][29] but the high-level design was not announced until April 2015.[31]

In February 2016, it was announced the development of the Vulcan rocket would be funded via a public–private partnership with the U.S. government. By early 2016, the USAF had committed $201 million of funding for Vulcan development. ULA had not "put a firm price on the cost of Vulcan development" but according to Mike Gross of SpaceNews, Bruno "said new rockets typically cost US$2 billion, including US$1 billion for the main engine".[32] In 2016, ULA had asked the U.S. government to provide a minimum of $1.2 billion by 2020 to assist the development of the new U.S. launch vehicle.[32] It was unclear how the change in development funding mechanisms would change ULA plans for pricing market-driven launch services.[31] Since Vulcan development began in October 2014, the privately generated funding for Vulcan development has been approved only on a short-term basis.[30][32] The ULA board of directors, which was composed of executives from Boeing and Lockheed Martin, would approve development funding on a quarterly basis.[33] ULA planned to reduce its number of launchpads from five in 2015 to two.[34]

ULA released contract values to the public and new CEO Tory Bruno testified before Congress in March 2015 that while ULA receives government subsidies "to conduct national security launches", the same is true of SpaceX, which received funding "to develop new capabilities and the use of low-cost or no-cost leases of previously developed launch infrastructure".[35] It is difficult to directly compare launch costs because they are not necessarily calculated using the same cost-model assumptions.[11]

ULA announced in February 2015 it was considering undertaking domestic production of the Russian RD-180 rocket engine at the Decatur, Alabama, rocket stage manufacturing facility. The U.S.-manufactured engines would be used for government civil (NASA) or commercial launches, and would not be used for U.S. military launches.[36] This idea was abandoned following the passage of legislation permitting the continued purchase of the RD-180 from Russia.[37]

In May 2015, ULA stated it would go out of business unless it won commercial and civil satellite launch orders to offset an expected slump in U.S. military and spy launches.[38] The same month, ULA announced it would lay off 12 of its executives, a reduction of 30%, in December 2015. The management layoffs were the "beginning of a major reorganization and redesign" as ULA endeavors to "slash costs and hunt out new customers to ensure continued growth despite the rise of SpaceX".[39][40]

A controversy arose in March 2016 following public remarks by ULA VP of Engineering, Brett Tobey, whose comments were, according to Peter de Selding of SpaceNews, "resentful of SpaceX" and dismissive of one of the two competitors (Aerojet Rocketdyne) for the new engine that will power the Vulcan launch vehicle, which was under development.[41] Tobey resigned on 16 March 2016[42] and Bruno disavowed the remarks.[43] Senator John McCain asked the DoD to investigate the comments that implied it may have shown "favoritism to a major defense contractor or that efforts have been made to silence members of Congress".[44] The Secretary of Defense asked the DoD's Inspector General to investigate.[45]

In 2016, ULA released the Cislunar 1000 Vision with an aim of creating an economy on the Moon and in Earth orbit with 1,000 people living and working in space. Core to this aim was that the production of fuel in space would allow for dramatically cheaper space travel. ULA made clear it was willing to become a customer for in-space refueling. It previously announced a willingness to pay US$3,000 per kilogram for fuel delivered in low Earth orbit, US$500 per kilogram on the lunar surface, and US$1,000 per kilogram at L1. ULA believes it will need off-Earth propellant supplies sometime in the 2020s. In December 2016, ULA created an online pricing tool called "Rocket Builder", which allowed potential customers and the public to estimate launch costs of the Atlas V rocket with configurable orbits, payloads and launch services.[46] Purchase-price estimates were removed from the tool in 2018 because it potentially provided commercially sensitive information to ULA's competitors.[47] Despite ULA's cost-cutting and restructuring, the cheapest ULA space launch in early 2018, the Atlas V 401, was priced at approximately US$109 million.[28]

Following the failure of a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying AMOS-6, incorrect reports about potential corporate espionage by ULA circulated.[48] These reports were proved to be false and on 2 January 2017 SpaceX released an official statement saying the cause of the failure was a buckled liner in several of the COPV tanks.[49]

In July 2017 the company was awarded US$191 million single-launch contract to launch the STP-3 mission aboard the heavy-lift Atlas V 551.[50]

In January 2018, ULA took over marketing and sales responsibilities for Atlas V launches.[51] Dan Collins, ULA's inaugural Chief operating officer, retired in April 2018 and was replaced by John Elbon, former vice president and program manager at Boeing Defense, Space & Security.[52][53]

During the 2019–2020 COVID-19 pandemic, some aspects of ULA's launch related outreach were scaled back but the company said it would maintain its launch schedule.[54] ULA implemented a vaccination requirement for its employees on 1 September 2021.[55]

On 7 August 2020, the U.S. Space Force awarded contracts for the second phase of its long-term launch services program for national security launches through 2020. United Launch Alliance, along with SpaceX, was chosen over Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman. The decision was driven primarily by past launch performance. As ULA has had 100% success record in about two decades of operation, it was awarded 60% of the contract.[56]

In late 2020, ULA won a contract to launch and provide in-flight refueling for the Dynetics lunar lander. Initially, refueling would be provided by launching additional rockets to carry fuel. Each lunar mission would include two other Vulcan Centaur launches. The propellant from the upper stages of these rockets would be transferred to the Dynetics lander. ULA would significantly increase its launch pace of refueling rockets to minimize the boil-off of cryogenic fuel. The in-space refueling capability would have been tested in low Earth orbit before any lunar missions take place.[57] However, in April 2021, NASA announced that SpaceX would instead be the prime contractor for the crewed lunar lander, having ranked the Dynetics bid low in readiness by 2024.[58]

In September 2020, Tory Bruno announced that it had found a vendor in its supply chain that has partial Chinese ownership. The vendor designed software tools for use in development of the Vulcan Centaur rocket. Bruno said the vendor did not acquire any sensitive information. The company in question is KUKA Robotics. The Chinese interest in the vendor was discovered by a private investigator hired by ULA to monitor the security of its supply chain. The case was referred to the FBI. Bruno called on the federal government to cooperate more closely with the private sector to deal with Chinese corporate espionage.[59]

In August 2021, ULA announced the pending retirement of Atlas V.[60] Following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, the U.S. Congress had mandated that the Department of Defense would stop using Russian-built space hardware, including the RD-180 engine used on Atlas V. ULA planned an orderly retirement and had procured and had in hand 100 of the engines to continue building Atlas V as it developed a replacement rocket. At the time of the announcement they could fly 29 more missions and all of them had been sold, so no new orders would be accepted.

Products edit

As of 2023, ULA still operates the Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy rockets, both of which are retiring. Both were developed under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program by Lockheed Martin and Boeing respectively. Both first launched in 2002, and both transferred to ULA when it was formed in 2006, along with other rockets that have since been retired.

The Delta II and the entire Delta IV family transferred to ULA in 2006. Delta II and all members of the Delta IV family except Delta IV Heavy have since retired. The last Delta IV Heavy will launch in March 2024. ULA also built the ICPS for the Space Launch system. ICPS derives from the Delta IV upper stage. One ICPS flew on Artemis I, and ICPS will also be used on Artemis II and Artemis III.

In 2014, ULA began development of Vulcan Centaur to replace its entire rocket fleet starting in 2019, but development encountered multiple delays.[31][61][62][63][64][65][66][67] The first Vulcan Centaur certification flight launched on 8 January 2024. [68]

Vulcan Centaur edit

 
Vulcan Centaur
Main article: Vulcan Centaur

Vulcan is a heavy-lift launch vehicle that ULA developed to meet the NSSL requirements. The rocket is ULA's first launch vehicle design, which adapted and evolved technologies developed for the Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. Vulcan is designed to achieve human-rating certification to allow the launch of crew should a customer need it for a vehicle such as the Boeing Starliner or a crewed version of the Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser.[69] Vulcan will have a maximum liftoff thrust of 17,000,000 N (3,800,000 lbf) and carry 25,000 kg (56,000 lb) to low Earth orbit, 15,000 kg (33,000 lb) to a geo-transfer orbit, and 7,300 kg (16,000 lb) to geostationary orbit with a heavier payload than any currently available single-core rocket.

The first-stage propellant tanks share the diameter of the Delta IV Common Booster Core but contain liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants rather than the Delta IV's liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Blue Origin's BE-4 engine was selected to power Vulcan's first stage in September 2018 after a competition with the Aerojet Rocketdyne's AR1.[70] ULA may eventually use the Sensible Modular Autonomous Return Technology (SMART) to allow re-use of the BE-4 engines.[71] The booster engines, avionics, and thrust structure would be detached as a module from the propellant tanks after booster engine cutoff, with the module descending through the atmosphere under an inflatable heat shield. After parachute deployment, the module would be captured by a helicopter in mid-air. ULA estimated that this would reduce the cost of the first stage propulsion by 90%, and 65% of the total first stage cost.[72] The BE-4 burns liquified natural gas.[73]

Vulcan's upper stage is the Centaur V, an upgraded variant of the Common Centaur/Centaur III that is currently used on the Atlas V. ULA planned to eventually upgrade the Centaur V with Integrated Vehicle Fluids technology to become the Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES).[74] Those plans were dropped in 2020 with efforts focusing on improving the capabilities of the existing Centaur V upper stage.[75]

During the first several years of its development, the ULA board of directors made quarterly funding commitments to Vulcan Centaur development.[32] As of October 2018, the U.S. government had committed approximately US$1.2 billion in a public–private partnership to Vulcan Centaur development, with future funding being dependent on ULA securing an NSSL contract.[76] By March 2016, the U.S. Air Force had committed up to US$202 million of funding for Vulcan development. At that time, ULA had not yet estimated the total cost of Vulcan development, but CEO Tory Bruno noted that "new rockets typically cost US$2 billion, including US$1 billion for the main engine".[32] In April 2016, ULA Board of Directors member and President of Boeing's Network and Space Systems (N&SS) division Craig Cooning expressed confidence in the possibility of further USAF funding of Vulcan development.[77]

In March 2018, ULA CEO Tory Bruno said that Vulcan Centaur had been "75% privately funded" up to that time.[quantify][78] In October 2018 and following a request for proposals and technical evaluation, ULA was awarded US$967 million to develop a prototype Vulcan launch system as a part of the National Security Space Launch program. Two other providers, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, were awarded US$500 million and US$792 million in development funding,[76] with detailed proposals and a competitive selection process to follow in 2019. The USAF's goal with the next generation of Launch Service Agreements is to get out of the business of "buying rockets" and move to acquiring launch services from launch service providers, but U.S. government funding of launch vehicle development continues.[76] The Vulcan rocket, directly and indirectly, provides about 22,000 jobs spread over 46 states.[79]

In August 2020, the U.S. Space Force awarded ULA a firm, fixed-price indefinite-delivery contract to launch 60% of National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 missions over a 5-year procurement with the next-generation Vulcan Centaur rocket, the other 40% were won by SpaceX.[80] In September 2020, ULA announced that they are carefully studying a "Vulcan Heavy" variant with three booster cores. Speculation about a new variant had been rampant for months after an image of a model of that version popped on social media. Tory Bruno later tweeted a clearer image of the model and said it was the subject of ongoing study.[75]

ULA has been using the Atlas V to test systems for the Vulcan Centaur.[73]

In early 2021, NASA added the Vulcan Centaur to the Launch Services II contract (NLS II). This makes the Vulcan Centaur part of the Launch Services Program and subjects it the "on-ramp" provisions in NLS II. The on-ramp provisions allow existing launch providers to introduce new vehicles that NASA has not yet requested.[81] On 24 October 2023, after completing a successful static fire 4 months ago,[82] ULA announced they were targeting 8 January 2024 for the inaugural launch of Vulcan Centaur.[8] On January 8, 2024, the Vulcan Centaur took off from Cape Canaveral at 2:18AM ET.[83] The launch sent the Peregrine lunar lander in orbit toward the moon with a February 23, 2024 landing date.[83]

Retiring edit

Current ULA fleet
 
Delta IV Heavy
 
Atlas V 551

Atlas V edit

Main article: Atlas V

Atlas V is ULA's main active launch vehicle, but is scheduled for retirement. All remaining Atlas V flights have been sold and no more orders will be accepted. As of December 2023 Atlas V flew eight times from its first flight in 2002 until ULA was formed in 2006, and ULA has flown it 91 times, with 17 flights remaining. Atlas V has flown in eleven configurations. Only the "551" and "N22" configurations remain active.

Atlas V is the fifth major version in the Atlas rocket family. It is an expendable launch system that was originally designed by Lockheed Martin. Each Atlas V rocket consists of two main stages. The first stage is powered by a Russian RD-180 engine, which is manufactured by Energomash, and burns kerosene and liquid oxygen.[84]

The Atlas V has been modified for human spaceflight to support flights of the Boeing Starliner. Human-rating required new computers to monitor performance and trigger an abort when necessary, data links between the rocket and spacecraft, and other changes. Crewed flights will include a mechanism to allow astronauts to manually abort. For Starliner flights, Atlas V is configured with two SRBs from Aerojet Rocketdyne. This is the only Atlas V configuration ever to fly without a payload fairing and the only configuration with two engines on the upper stage. With the Starliner on top, the rocket is 172 feet tall.[85] ULA has contracted to support nine Starliner missions with Atlas V. The first Starliner mission was the Boeing Orbital Flight Test in December 2019.

Amazon has selected the Atlas V to launch satellites for Project Kuiper. Project Kuiper will offer a high-speed satellite internet service. The contract signed with Amazon is for nine launches. Project Kuiper aims to put thousands of satellites into orbit. ULA is Amazon's first launch provider.[86]

 
Centaur rocket model

Atlas V uses the 3.05-meter diameter Centaur III upper stage.[87] It is powered by one or two RL10 engines, which are manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne, and burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Atlas V uses the single-engine version for all missions except Starliner missions, which use the dual-engine version. The dual-engine version allows the rocket to fly on a shallower path to orbit, meaning horizontal velocity is emphasized over vertical velocity. This in turn reduces the maximum G-forces endured by the crew and allows for a safe abort at any time during the launch.

Centaur III also has an Aft Bulkhead Carrier capacity. The capacity was developed initially for the National Reconnaissance Office to take advantage of the extra capacity Atlas V has.[88]

Delta IV Heavy edit

Main article: Delta IV Heavy

Delta IV Heavy is the largest member of the Delta IV family, and the only remaining active member. It is retiring and its last remaining launch is scheduled for March 2024. The Delta IV Heavy combines a 5 m (16 ft) diameter DCSS and payload fairing with two additional CBCs. These are strap-on boosters which are separated earlier in the flight than the center CBC. As of 2007, a longer 5 meter diameter composite fairing was standard on the Delta IV Heavy,[89] with an aluminum isogrid fairing also available. The aluminum trisector (three-part) fairing was built by Boeing and derived from a Titan IV fairing.[90] The trisector fairing was first used on the DSP-23 flight.[91]

ICPS edit

Main article: Delta Cryogenic Second Stage § Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

ULA designed and builds the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the Space Launch System (SLS) in Decatur, Alabama and by Boeing in Huntsville, Alabama. It is a variant of the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage stage used for the Delta rocket family, and is used as the second stage of the SLS block 1. The ICPS was the first component of the SLS to arrive at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. ICPS is located high on the SLS stack, just below the Orion capsule.[92] ICPS consists of a cylindrical liquid hydrogen tank structurally separated from an oblate spheroid liquid oxygen tank. The liquid hydrogen tank cylinder carries payload launch loads, while the liquid oxygen tank and engine are suspended below within the SLS interstage. The stage is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney RL10B-2 engine, which features an extendable carbon-carbon nozzle to improve specific impulse.[93] Only three ICPS stages are needed, one for each of the SLS block one vehicles. The first was launched on the Artemis I mission, and the other two will be launched on the Artemis II and Artemis III missions, after which SLS Block 1 and ICPS will be retired.

Retired edit

Delta II edit

Main article: Delta II

Delta II was an expendable launch system that was originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas, and was later built by Boeing prior to the formation of ULA. Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family and entered service in 1989. Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000 and the two later Delta 7000 variants ("Light" and "Heavy"). The rocket flew its final mission ICESat-2 on 15 September 2018.[94][95] A nearly-complete Delta II, made from flight-qualified spare parts, is displayed in its 7320-10 configuration in the rocket garden at Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex.[96][97]

Delta IV edit

Main article: Delta IV

Delta IV is a group of five expendable launch systems in the Delta rocket family, which was introduced in the early 2000s.[98][99] The Delta IV was originally designed by Boeing's Defense, Space & Security division for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, and became a ULA product in 2006. The Delta IV is mostly used for launching United States Air Force military payloads but has also been used to launch a number of U.S. government non-military payloads and one commercial satellite.[100][94][101]

The Delta IV originally had two main versions, which allowed the family to accommodate a range of payload sizes and masses; models include the retired Medium, which had four configurations, and the Heavy. As of 2019, only the Heavy remains active; payloads that would previously fly on Medium moved to either the existing Atlas V or the forthcoming Vulcan Centaur. Retirement of the Delta IV family as a whole is anticipated in 2024.[102][103]

Launch history edit

Main articles: Atlas V § Atlas V launches, Delta IV § Delta IV launches, and Vulcan Centaur § Vulcan Centaur launches
5
10
15
20
2006
'07
'08
'09
'10
'11
'12
'13
'14
'15
'16
'17
'18
'19
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
  •   Success
  •   Partial Failure
  •   Scheduled


2006–2009 edit

 
Ignition of the engines of a Delta II

The first launch conducted by ULA was a Delta II from Vandenberg Space Force Base on 14 December 2006,[104] carrying the satellite USA-193 for the National Reconnaissance Office.[105][106][107][108] The satellite failed shortly after launch and was intentionally destroyed on 21 February 2008, by an SM-3 missile that was fired from the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Lake Erie.[105] ULA's first Atlas V launch was in March 2007; it was an Atlas V variant 401 launching six military research satellites for Space Test Program (STP) 1. This mission also performed three burns of the Centaur upper stage; it was the first three-burn mission for Atlas V.

ULA's first commercial mission COSMO-SkyMed was launched on behalf of Italy's Ministry of Defense three months later using a Delta II rocket.[106] On June 15, 2007, the engine in the Centaur upper stage of a ULA-launched Atlas V shut down early, leaving its payload – a pair of NROL-30 ocean surveillance satellites – in a lower than intended orbit.[109] The NRO declared the launch a success.[110]

2007 also saw ULA's first two interplanetary spacecraft launches using the Delta II; the Phoenix probe was launched to Mars in August 2007 and the Dawn satellite to was launched to the asteroids Vesta and Ceres in September 2007.[111][112] Using a Delta II, the WorldView-1 satellite was also launched into a low Earth orbit on behalf of DigitalGlobe. The company's first launch to geostationary transfer orbit using an Atlas V 421 variant carrying the USA-195 (or WGS-1) communications satellite also occurred that year.[106][113] ULA's tenth mission was launching satellite GPS IIR-17 into medium Earth orbit on a Delta II.[106] The company completed its first Delta IV launch using the Delta IV Heavy rocket to place a payload into geosynchronous orbit in November 2007, which was followed by three more launches in December 2007.[106]

2008 saw seven launches, including Atlas V's from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 3E and five others using the Delta II.[106] The Atlas launch carried NROL-28 in March 2008[114] and in September 2008 the GeoEye-1 satellite was orbited by a Delta II rocket.[115] ULA completed eight Delta II, five Atlas V, and three Delta IV launches in 2009.[106] The Delta II launches carried three Space Tracking and Surveillance System satellites over two launches, two Global Positioning System satellites,[116] and the NOAA-19 and WorldView-2 satellites,[117][118] as well as the Kepler and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer space telescopes.[106][119]

The Atlas launches carried the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS mission as part of the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program, which was later intentionally crashed into the Moon and found the existence of water;[120] other 2009 Atlas V launches in included Intelsat 14, WGS-2,[113] PAN, and a weather satellite as part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The Delta IV rockets carried the NROL-26, GOES 14,[121] and WGS-3 satellites.[113][106]

2010–2014 edit

In 2010, Atlas V launches deployed the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the first Boeing X-37B, the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite, and the NROL-41. The Delta II system placed the last COSMO-SkyMed and Delta IV launches deployed the GOES 15, GPS Block IIF, and USA-223 satellites.[106][122] ULA completed eleven launches in 2011, including five by Atlas, three by Delta II, and three by Delta IV. The Atlas system orbited another Boeing X-37, two NROL-34 signals intelligence satellites,[123] a Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite, the Juno spacecraft and Curiosity rover.[106][124] The Delta II launches placed the SAC-D and Suomi NPP satellites into orbit,[125] as well as two spacecraft associated with NASA's GRAIL lunar mission. Delta IV launches carried the NROL-49, NROL-27,[126] and another GPS satellite.[106]

ULA's 2012 launches included six Atlas Vs and four Delta IVs. The Atlas system carried Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) and AEHF satellites, another Boeing X-37, the Intruder and Quasar satellites, and the Van Allen Probes. Delta IVs deployed GPS and WGS satellites USA-233,[127][128] as well as NROL-25[129] and NROL-15 on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office.[106][130]

In 2013, the Atlas flew eight times.[131] The system launched the TDRS-11,[132] Landsat 8, AEHF-3, and NROL-39 satellites, as well as SBIRS, GPS, and MUOS satellites, as well as NASA's MAVEN space probe to Mars. Delta IV launches orbited the fifth and sixth Wideband Global SATCOM satellites WGS-5 and WGS-6,[133] as well as NROL-65.[106][127][134]

In 2014, ULA's Atlas V orbited the TDRS-12 communications satellite in January,[135] the WorldView-3 commercial satellite in August 2014,[136][137] and the CLIO communications satellite during September and October 2014.[114] Atlas rockets also carried the satellites DMSP-5D-3/F19, NROL-67, NROL-33, and NROL-35.[114] Delta IV rockets orbited GPS satellites and two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites, and in July 2014, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 was carried by a Delta II.[114] Orion's first test flight was launched by a Delta IV Heavy rocket in December 2014, as part of Exploration Flight Test-1.[138]

2015–2019 edit

A Delta II rocket orbited a Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite in January 2015.[139] In March 2015, an Atlas V rocket carried NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission spacecraft,[140][141] and a Delta IV rocket orbited the GPS IIF-9 satellite on behalf of the U.S. Air Force.[142][143] The U.S. Air Force's X-37B spaceplane was carried by an Atlas V rocket in May 2015,[144] and a Delta IV orbited the WGS-7 satellite in July 2015.[145] The fourth MUOS satellite was orbited by an Atlas V in September 2015.[146][147] ULA's 100th consecutive successful liftoff was completed on 2 October 2015, when an Atlas V rocket orbited a Mexican Satellite System communications satellite on behalf of the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation.[138] The classified NROL-55 satellite was launched by an Atlas V rocket several days later.[148] Atlas V rockets launched GPS Block IIF satellites and the Cygnus cargo spacecraft in November 2015 and December 2015, respectively.[149][150][151]

In 2016, Delta IV rockets carried the NROL-45 satellite and Air Force Space Command 6 mission in February 2016 and August 2016, respectively.[152][153] During a launch of the Atlas V rocket on 22 March 2016, a minor first-stage anomaly led to shutdown of the first-stage engine approximately five seconds before anticipated. The Centaur upper stage was able to compensate by firing for approximately one minute longer than planned using its reserved fuel margin.[154][155] Atlas V rockets carried MUOS-5 in June 2016,[156][157] NROL-61 satellites in July 2016,[158][159] and the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft in September 2016.[160]

ULA launched multiple satellites in late 2016. The weather satellite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) was carried in November 2016,[161][162] as was the WorldView-4 imaging satellite.[163] In December 2016, the Wideband Global SATCOM's eighth satellite WGS-8 was launched on a Delta IV Medium rocket,[162][164] and an Atlas V carried the EchoStar XIX communications satellite on behalf of Hughes Communications.[165][166] In March 2017, WGS-9 was orbited by a Delta IV.[113][167] Atlas V rockets carried NRO satellites,[168][169][170] TDRS-M,[171] and a Cygnus cargo capsule in 2017.[172] The weather satellite NOAA-20 (JPSS-1) was launched by a Delta II rocket in November 2017.[118][173]

 
Atlas V 401 launch with InSight
 
Delta IV Heavy launch with the Parker Solar Probe

An Atlas V carried the SBIRS-GEO 4 military satellite in January 2018.[174] The Atlas V's launch of NASA's InSight to Mars in 2018 was the first interplanetary probe to depart from the U.S. West Coast.[111] In August 2018, a Delta IV Heavy launched Parker Solar Probe, NASA's solar space probe that was to visit and study the Sun's outer corona in August 2018.[175] It was also the Delta IV Heavy with a Star-48BV kick stage,[176] and the highest-ever spacecraft velocity.[177] The company launched the final Delta II rocket, carrying ICESat-2 from Vandenberg Air Force Base SLC-2 on 15 September 2018. This marks the last launch of a Delta family rocket based on the original Thor IRBM.[95] On 22 August 2019, ULA launched its last Delta IV Medium rocket for the GPS III Magellan project.[178] An Atlas V carried Boeing's Starliner Orbital Flight Test (OFT) mission for NASA in December 2019.[179]

2020 edit

In 2020, an Atlas V carried the Solar Orbiter spacecraft, an international collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA to provide a new global view of the Sun.[180] In March 2020, an Atlas V also launched Advanced Extremely High Frequency 6 (AEHF-6), the first U.S. Space Force National Security Mission.[181][182] In May 2020, ULA launched an Atlas V rocket carrying the USSF-7 mission with the X-37B spaceplane for the U.S Space Force and the mission honored victims of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as first responders, health professionals, military personnel, and other essential workers.[183] On 30 July 2020, Atlas V in the 541 configuration successfully launched Perseverance and Ingenuity as part of Mars 2020 towards Mars.[184] In November 2020, ULA launched NROL-101, a top secret spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, on board their Atlas V in a 531 configuration. This launch was notable because it was the first flight of the GEM-63 solid rocket boosters, a version of which will be used on their Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle.[185]

2021 edit

On 18 May 2021, the SBIRS GEO 5 missile-warning satellite was launched on an Atlas V 421 rocket.[186][187][188]

 
The launch on 16 October 2021 at 5:34 am EDT

The Lucy spaceflight began on 16 October 2021 upon launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket[189] into a stable parking orbit. During the next hour, the second stage reignited to place Lucy on an interplanetary trajectory in a heliocentric orbit on a twelve-year mission to two groups of Sun-Jupiter Lagrange point Trojan asteroids as well as a close flyby of a mainbelt asteroid during one of three planned passes through the asteroid belt. If the spacecraft remains operational during the 12-year planned duration, it is likely the controlled flight will be continued and directed at additional asteroid targets.[190]

Infrastructure edit

Launch facilities edit

 
ULA's Horizontal Integration Facility at CCSFS in February 2018

ULA operates orbital launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California. In Florida, ULA has used Space Launch Complex 41 for Atlas V launches since its maiden flight in August 2002,[191][192] and Launch Complex 37 for Delta IV launches since the rocket's maiden flight in November 2002.[113][193] Aging infrastructure and low flight cadence from LC-37 contributed to a number of delays in the launch of NROL-44. ULA is looking to mitigate this with improvement to their operations readiness process.[194] The company has one launch pad at Vandenberg as of 2023: Space Launch Complex 3 for Atlas and Vulcan launches.[63][195] Space Launch Complex 6 is no longer in use since the last Delta IV Heavy launch from there in 2022.[196][197][198][199] Space Launch Complex 2 is no longer in active use by ULA since the retirement of the Delta II in September 2018.[200]

Launches from Cape Canaveral typically head east to give satellites extra momentum from the rotation of the Earth as they head to other planets or into an equatorial orbit. Vandenberg Space Force Base is the primary U.S. launch site from which satellites are sent into polar orbits. Commercial and military spacecraft like imaging and weather satellites need to be launched southward on a path to reach a polar orbit to cover the entire globe.[201] ULA's Atlas V rocket launched NASA's InSight mission to Mars from the West Coast in 2018, the first interplanetary mission to do so.[111]

In 2015, as part of the company's transition from the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles to the Vulcan Centaur, ULA announced plans to reduce the number of launch pads in use from five to two by the early 2020s.[34]

ULA works closely with the 45th Weather Squadron on its launches from Florida.[202]

Headquarters and manufacturing edit

 
ULA's headquarters building in Centennial, Colorado

ULA's headquarters in Centennial, Colorado is responsible for program management, rocket engineering, testing, and launch support functions.[203] ULA's largest factory is 1.6×10^6 sq ft (150,000 m2) and located in Decatur, Alabama.[204] A factory in Harlingen, Texas, fabricates and assembles components for the Atlas V rocket.[205] In 2015, the company announced the opening of an engineering and propulsion test center in Pueblo, Colorado.[206]

Spaceflight Processing Operations Center edit

The Spaceflight Processing Operations Center (SPOC), located near SLC-40 and SLC-41, is used to construct the mobile launcher platform for the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle. It also serve as a storage room for the Atlas Mobile launcher platform (MLP).[207] On 6 August 2019, the first two parts of Vulcan's MLP were transported to the SPOC.[208] SPOC was formerly known as the Solid Motor Assembly and Readiness Facility (SMARF) during its support of the Titan IVB launch vehicle; it was renamed during Vulcan Centaur's topping ceremony in October 2019.[207]

See also edit

Past launch vehicles
Other launch vehicle providers

References edit

  1. ^ "About ULA". United Launch Alliance. from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b "United Launch Alliance plans layoffs". Denver Business Journal. 14 November 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  3. ^ "SpaceX breaks Boeing-Lockheed monopoly on military space launches". Reuters. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  4. ^ Ray, Justin (23 November 2009). "Atlas 5 launches Intelsat communications satellite". Spaceflight Now.
  5. ^ Gruss, Mike (13 April 2015). "ULA's Next Rocket to Be Named Vulcan". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  6. ^ Grush, Loren (27 September 2018). "Military's primary launch provider picks Blue Origin's new engine for future rocket". The Verge. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  7. ^ Bruno, Tory (14 December 2023). "#VulcanRocket is now in the pipe for its first launch on 8 January". Twitter.
  8. ^ a b "NASA Invites Public to Share Excitement of Astrobotic, ULA Robotic Artemis Moon Launch – NASA". 19 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Boeing, Lockheed Martin to Form Launch Services Joint Venture". United Launch Alliance. 2 May 2005. from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  10. ^ Chaplain, Christina (2009). Space Acquisitions: Uncertainties in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program Pose Management and Oversight Challenges. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 978-1-437910315.
  11. ^ a b c "National Security Space Launch at a Crossroads" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  12. ^ Bowermaster, David (9 January 2005). . Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  13. ^ a b Berger, Eric (2 August 2017). "How America's two greatest rocket companies battled from the beginning". Ars Technica. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  14. ^ Morris, David Z. (17 June 2017). "Is SpaceX Undercutting the Competition Even More Than Anyone Thought?". Fortune. from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  15. ^ "FTC gives clearance to United Launch Alliance". Spaceflight Now. 3 October 2006.
  16. ^ a b "The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation and United Launch Alliance; Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Orders To Aid Public Comment" (PDF). Federal Register. 71 (197): 60148–60152. 12 October 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  17. ^ Mergers and Acquisitions: Understanding the Antitrust Issues (3rd ed.). Chicago, Illinois: ABA Section of Antitrust Law. 2008. ISBN 978-1-60442-046-3. OCLC 213864774.
  18. ^ Erwin, Sandra; Henry, Caleb (24 January 2018). "To stay competitive in the launch business, ULA courts commercial customers". SpaceNews. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  19. ^ Graham, William (2 July 2014). "ULA Delta II successfully lofts OCO-2 to orbit". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  20. ^ Avery, Greg (5 August 2009). "ULA seeks land for a combined HQ". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  21. ^ Johnson, Alexandra (21 June 2010). "United Launch Alliance Joins the Commercial Spaceflight Federation". Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  22. ^ . Commercial Spaceflight Federation. 13 May 2014. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  23. ^ Leopold, George (28 April 2014). . Defense Systems. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  24. ^ Gurss, Mike (20 May 2014). "Responding to Critics, ULA Discloses Pricing Information". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 23 May 2014.
  25. ^ Gruss, Mike (12 August 2014). "United Launch Alliance Taps a Lockheed Executive To Replace CEO Gass". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  26. ^ Ferster, Warren (17 September 2014). "ULA To Invest in Blue Origin Engine as RD-180 Replacement". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 18 September 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  27. ^ Petersen, Melody (12 December 2014). "Congress OKs bill banning purchases of Russian-made rocket engines". Los Angeles Times. from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2014. Costs of launching military satellites has skyrocketed under contracts the Air Force has given to United Launch Alliance. The average cost for each launch using rockets from Boeing and Lockheed has soared to US$420 million, according to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office.
  28. ^ a b c d e Avery, Greg (16 October 2014). "ULA plans new rocket, restructuring to cut launch costs in half". Denver Business Journal. from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  29. ^ a b Delgado, Laura M. (14 November 2014). "ULA's Tory Bruno Vows To Transform Company". Space Policy Online. from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  30. ^ a b Pasztor, Andy (17 September 2015). "U.S. Rocket Supplier Looks to Break 'Short Leash'". The Wall Street Journal. from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015. The aerospace giants [Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp.] shared almost US$500 million in equity profits from the rocket-making venture last year, when it still had a monopoly on the business of blasting the Pentagon's most important satellites into orbit. But since then, 'they've had us on a very short leash', Tory Bruno, United Launch's chief executive", said.
  31. ^ a b c Gruss, Mike (13 April 2015). "ULA's Vulcan Rocket To be Rolled out in Stages". SpaceNews. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  32. ^ a b c d e Gruss, Mike (10 March 2016). "ULA's parent companies still support Vulcan …with caution". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  33. ^ Avery, Greg (16 April 2015). "The fate of United Launch Alliance and its Vulcan rocket may lie with Congress". Denver Business Journal. from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  34. ^ a b Butler, Amy (17 February 2015). "New Rocket, White Tails In ULA's Long-Term Strategy". Aviation Week. from the original on 5 June 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2015. [the] plan to field a new rocket engine with Blue Origin called the BE-4 is only step one of a larger strategic plan to take the company from a sole-source benefactor mentality to competing in a burgeoning commercial market ... The Atlas V and Delta IV ... both have a limited future.
  35. ^ Bruno, Salvatore T. "Tory" (26 June 2015). "Testimony to the House Committee on Armed Services" (PDF). U.S. House of Representatives Document Repository. Office of the Clerk. Retrieved 23 September 2016.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  36. ^ Fleischauer, Eric (7 February 2015). "ULA's CEO talks challenges, engine plant plans for Decatur". The Decatur Daily. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  37. ^ Gruss, Mike (14 June 2016). "Nelson shepherds RD-180 compromise through U.S. Senate". SpaceNews. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  38. ^ Shalal, Andrea (21 May 2015). . Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015.
  39. ^ Shalal, Andrea (15 May 2015). "Lockheed-Boeing venture lays off 12 executives in major reorganization". Reuters. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  40. ^ Shalal, Andrea (21 May 2015). "Lockheed-Boeing rocket venture needs commercial orders to survive". Reuters. from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  41. ^ de Selding, Peter B. (16 March 2016). "ULA intends to lower its costs, and raise its cool, to compete with SpaceX". SpaceNews. Retrieved 19 March 2016. A de facto monopoly was born with U.S. government blessing and with a series of lucrative U.S. government contracts whose principal goal was reliability and capability, not value for money.
  42. ^ de Selding, Peter B. (17 March 2016). "ULA VP resigns following remarks on company's competitive position, strategy". SpaceNews. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  43. ^ Berger, Brian (16 March 2016). "ULA chief disavows his head engineer's take on Vulcan engine competition". SpaceNews. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  44. ^ Berger, Brian (18 March 2016). "McCain calls for investigation of fired ULA executive's controversial comments". SpaceNews. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  45. ^ Shalal, Andrea (18 March 2016). "Pentagon to investigate comments by former executive at rocket firm". Reuters. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  46. ^ Swarts, Phillip (1 December 2016). "ULA debuts online pricing tool for Atlas launches". SpaceNews. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  47. ^ Bruno, Tory (13 March 2018). "ULA's Updated RocketBuilder Site". Reddit. from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  48. ^ Bennett, Jay (3 October 2016). "Does SpaceX Really Think Someone Sniped Its Rocket?". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  49. ^ . SpaceX. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  50. ^ "Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Budget Estimates: Space Procurement, Air Force" (PDF). United States Air Force. May 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  51. ^ "United Launch Alliance Assumes Marketing and Sales for Atlas V Commercial Launches from Lockheed Martin". United Launch Alliance. 22 January 2018. from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019. United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced today that it has assumed responsibility for the marketing and sales of Atlas V, the world's most reliable launch vehicle, from Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services. In addition to performing all of the operational activities related to Atlas V launch services, as ULA has done since its formation in 2006, ULA now has the full authority to market and sell Atlas V launch services to commercial customers.
  52. ^ "Boeing executive to become ULA chief operating officer". SpaceNews. 27 April 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  53. ^ "Biography – John Elbon" (PDF). United Launch Alliance.
  54. ^ Berger, Eric (16 March 2020). "The virus has gone global — so what happens to the launch industry?". Ars Technica. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  55. ^ Sheetz, Michael (19 August 2021). "Rocket builder ULA will require employees receive Covid vaccines beginning Sept. 1". CNBC.
  56. ^ Thompson, Lauren (17 September 2019). "When It Comes To Military Launches, SpaceX May No Longer Be The Low-Cost Provider". Forbes. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  57. ^ Grush, Loren (30 April 2020). "NASA picks SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics to create landers to take humans to the Moon". The Verge. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  58. ^ Foust, Jeff (16 April 2021). "NASA selects SpaceX to develop crewed lunar lander". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  59. ^ Erwin, Sandra (15 September 2020). "Tory Bruno reveals Chinese company tried to infiltrate ULA's supply chain". SpaceNews. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  60. ^ Roulette, Joey (26 August 2021). "ULA stops selling its centerpiece Atlas V, setting path for the rocket's retirement". The Verge. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  61. ^ "United Launch Alliance Set to Launch AEHF-4 for U.S. Air Force". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  62. ^ Kremer, Ken (19 December 2016). "Awesome Atlas delivers next-gen high-speed Echostar 19 internet sat to orbit for America". PhysOrg.
  63. ^ a b Graham, William (14 April 2018). "ULA Atlas V successfully launches with AFSPC-11". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  64. ^ Ray, Justin (4 March 2015). "Could Delta rockets soon be a thing of the past?". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  65. ^ Gruss, Mike (3 March 2015). "ULA Targets 2018 for Delta 4 Phase-out, Seeks Relaxation of RD-180 Ban". SpaceNews. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  66. ^ "Astrobotic Selects United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur Rocket to Launch its First Mission to the Moon". United Launch Alliance. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  67. ^ Foust, Jeff (24 October 2023). "ULA sets Christmas Eve launch date for first Vulcan Centaur". SpaceNews. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  68. ^ Belam, Martin (8 January 2024). "Nasa Peregrine 1 launch: Vulcan Centaur rocket carrying Nasa moon lander lifts off in Florida – live updates". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  69. ^ Bruno, Tory [@torybruno] (30 August 2016). "@A_M_Swallow @ULA_ACES We intend to human rate Vulcan/ACES" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 August 2016 – via Twitter.
  70. ^ "United Launch Alliance Building Rocket of the Future with Industry-Leading Strategic Partnerships". United Launch Alliance. 28 September 2018.
  71. ^ Klotz, Irene (17 April 2020). "Economics of Rocket Reuse Still Up in the Air". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  72. ^ Ray, Justin (14 April 2015). "ULA chief explains reusability and innovation of new rocket". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  73. ^ a b Clark, Stephen (21 May 2021). "United Launch Alliance nears first fueling test on Vulcan rocket". Space Flight Now. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  74. ^ Bruno, Tory (10 October 2017). "Building on a successful record in space to meet the challenges ahead". SpaceNews.
  75. ^ a b Foust, Jeff (11 September 2020). "ULA studying long-term upgrades to Vulcan". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  76. ^ a b c Erwin, Sandra (10 October 2018). "Air Force awards launch vehicle development contracts to Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, ULA". SpaceNews. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  77. ^ Host, Pat (12 April 2016). "Cooning Confident Air Force Will Invest In Vulcan Development". Defense Daily. from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  78. ^ Erwin, Sandra (25 March 2018). "Air Force stakes future on privately funded launch vehicles. Will the gamble pay off?". SpaceNews. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  79. ^ Howard, Courtney (22 October 2018). "ULA selects Blue Origin advanced booster engine for Vulcan Centaur rocket system". SAE. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  80. ^ Erwin, Sandra (9 August 2020). "Air Force to end agreements with Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman, prepares for launch contract protests". SpaceNews. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  81. ^ Potter, Sean (15 April 2021). "NASA Adds Vulcan Centaur Launch Services to Launch Services Contract". NASA. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  82. ^ Foust, Jeff (8 June 2023). "Vulcan performs static-fire test". SpaceNews. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  83. ^ a b Foust, Jeff (8 January 2024). "Vulcan Centaur launches Peregrine lunar lander on inaugural mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  84. ^ (PDF). United Launch Alliance. March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  85. ^ Clark, Stephen (6 November 2019). "ULA begins stacking unique Atlas 5 rocket for Starliner test flight". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  86. ^ Sheetz, Michael (19 April 2021). "Amazon signs with ULA for rockets to launch Jeff Bezos' Kuiper internet satellites". CNBC. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  87. ^ Berger, Eric (11 December 2018). "Getting Vulcan up to speed: Part one of our interview with Tory Bruno". Ars Technica. Retrieved 12 December 2018. Centaur 3 (which flies on the Atlas V rocket) is 3.8 meters in diameter. The very first Centaur we fly on Vulcan will go straight to 5.4 meters in diameter.
  88. ^ Erwin, Sandra (5 August 2019). "Upcoming Atlas 5 mission will launch Air Force CubeSat before it releases main payload". SpaceNews. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  89. ^ (PDF). Boeing. 6 June 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2012.
  90. ^ (PDF). United Launch Alliance. September 2007. pp. 1–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011.
  91. ^ . U.S. Air Force Space Command. 2 November 2010. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  92. ^ Mohon, Lee (27 July 2017). "Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Moves to Space Station Processing Facility". NASA. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  93. ^ Braeunig, Robert A. (2 November 2009). "Space Launchers — Delta". Rocket and Space Technology. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  94. ^ a b Bartels, Meghan (13 September 2018). "Meet the Delta Rocket Family of the United Launch Alliance". Space.com. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  95. ^ a b "Delta II concludes amazing legacy with ICESat-2 launch". NASA Spaceflight. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  96. ^ "Leftover Delta 2 rocket to go on display at Kennedy Space Center". Spaceflight Now. from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  97. ^ Joy, Rachel (23 March 2021). "New rocket on display at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex". Florida Today. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  98. ^ . Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  99. ^ "Countdown 101: Delta IV". NASA. Retrieved 15 August 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  100. ^ Grush, Loren (22 August 2019). "Watch as ULA launches the final flight of its Delta IV Medium rocket". The Verge. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  101. ^ "Fuel Control Valve Faulted for Atlas Launch Anomaly". Universe Today. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  102. ^ Gebhardt, Chris (22 August 2019). "Delta IV Medium's well-earned retirement with GPS finale". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  103. ^ "Historical Snapshot: Delta Rockets". Boeing. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  104. ^ . Metro Denver EDC. Archived from the original on 18 March 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  105. ^ a b "DoD Succeeds In Intercepting Non-Functioning Satellite" (Press release). U.S. Department of Defense. 20 February 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2009.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  106. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Graham, William; Bergin, Chris (18 September 2013). "United Launch Alliance celebrate 75 launch milestone". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  107. ^ Bergin, Chris (15 June 2015). "TRMM spacecraft completes destructive re-entry over South Indian Ocean". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  108. ^ Jones, Sam (20 November 2015). "Satellite wars". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 11 December 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  109. ^ Morring, Frank Jr. (22 June 2007). . Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  110. ^ (PDF). National Reconnaissance Office. 18 June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2013.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  111. ^ a b c Graham, William (5 May 2018). "Atlas V launches first West Coast interplanetary mission with InSight spacecraft to Mars". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. Launched by a Delta II rocket in August 2007, Phoenix touched down on Mars on 25 May 2008.
  112. ^ Wall, Mike (29 September 2017). "Happy Anniversary, Dawn! Record-Setting NASA Probe Marks 10 Years in Space". Space.com. Retrieved 16 July 2018. NASA's Dawn spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket on 27 September 2007.
  113. ^ a b c d e Graham, William (18 March 2017). "ULA Delta IV successfully launches WGS-9". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  114. ^ a b c d Graham, William (12 December 2014). "Atlas V launches NROL-35 out of Vandenberg". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  115. ^ Shalal-Esa, Andrea (6 September 2008). "GeoEye launches high-resolution satellite". Reuters. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  116. ^ Graham, William (17 August 2009). "Last GPS IIR satellite launched on final SLC-17A Delta II". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  117. ^ "ULA Delta II launches on third attempt with NASA's NOAA-N Prime". NASA Spaceflight. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2018. A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket has launched with the NASA NOAA-N Prime spacecraft at the third attempt to launch from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California – at 02:22 a.m. PST – following two scrubs due to technical issues.
  118. ^ a b Bergin, Chris (18 November 2017). "Delta II launches on penultimate mission with JPSS-1". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  119. ^ Graham, William (14 December 2009). "ULA Delta II successfully launches with WISE". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  120. ^ "LCROSS Impact Data Indicates Water on Moon". NASA. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  121. ^ Graham, William (27 June 2009). "Delta IV launches with GOES-O weather satellite". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. The launch of an United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket, carrying the GOES-O weather satellite for the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has launched on Saturday, following Friday's scrub due to unacceptable weather.
  122. ^ Graham, William (21 November 2010). "Delta IV Heavy launches with NROL-32". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV vehicle has launched the classified NROL-32 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex 37B, Cape Canaveral, at 17:58 EST.
  123. ^ Graham, William (14 April 2011). "ULA Atlas V launches with NROL-34 payload". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  124. ^ Graham, William (5 August 2011). "ULA Atlas V launches NASA's Juno on a path to Jupiter". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. United Launch Alliance (ULA) have launched their Atlas V carrying NASA's Juno probe on its way to Jupiter on Friday.
  125. ^ Graham, William (10 June 2011). "ULA Delta II launches with the SAC-D spacecraft". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. The United Launch Alliance (ULA) have launched their Delta II rocket to loft the SAC-D spacecraft into orbit for the Argentine space agency, CONAE, on Friday.
  126. ^ Graham, William (11 March 2011). "Delta IV dodges upper level winds and launches with NROL-27 satellite". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  127. ^ a b Graham, William (24 May 2013). "ULA Delta IV successfully lofts WGS-5 satellite". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  128. ^ Graham, William (19 January 2012). "ULA Delta IV successfully launches the fourth WGS spacecraft". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. United Launch Alliance have conducted the United States' first orbital launch of the year on Thursday, when their Delta IV launched with the fourth Wideband Global Satcom spacecraft.
  129. ^ Graham, William (3 April 2012). "ULA Delta IV launches the NROL-25 military satellite from VAFB". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. A new Delta IV configuration has made its first flight Tuesday, carrying the NROL-25 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office.
  130. ^ Graham, William (29 June 2012). "Delta IV Heavy launches NROL-15 from Cape Canaveral". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV rocket has made its twentieth launch Friday morning from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, carrying the classified NROL-15 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office.
  131. ^ Graham, William (29 October 2014). "ULA Atlas V successfully launches with GPS IIF-8 satellite". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  132. ^ Graham, William (30 January 2013). "ULA Altas V successfully launches with TDRS-K". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  133. ^ Graham, William (7 August 2013). "ULA Delta IV launches with WGS-6 satellite". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  134. ^ "United Launch Alliance chief says he wants to develop a fleet of "space trucks" to ferry people between Earth and moon". The Denver Post. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  135. ^ Graham, William (23 January 2014). "ULA opens 2014 campaign with Atlas V launch of TDRS-L". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. United Launch Alliance successfully conducted their first mission of 2014 Thursday evening, with an Atlas V deploying NASA's latest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-L.
  136. ^ Graham, William (13 August 2014). "ULA Atlas V launches WorldView-3 satellite out of Vandenberg". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. United Launch Alliance (ULA) conducted a commercial Atlas V launch on Wednesday on behalf of Lockheed Martin, orbiting DigitalGlobe's WorldView-3 imaging satellite.
  137. ^ "WorldView-3 Satellite Will Upgrade Google's Earth Images". NBC News. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  138. ^ a b Wall, Mike (2 October 2015). "Dazzling Rocket Launch Marks 100th Liftoff for United Launch Alliance". Space.com. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  139. ^ Kramer, Miriam (31 January 2015). "NASA Launches Satellite to Get the Dirt on Earth's Dirt". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  140. ^ Graham, William (12 March 2015). "MMS successfully launched by ULA's Atlas V". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  141. ^ Cofield, Calla (13 March 2015). "Spectacular Night Launch Sends NASA Satellites on Hunt for Magnetic Collisions". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  142. ^ Graham, William (25 March 2015). "ULA Delta IV successfully launches GPS IIF-9". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  143. ^ Wall, Mike (26 March 2015). "US Air Force Launches Advanced GPS Satellite into Orbit". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  144. ^ Wall, Mike (20 May 2015). "US Air Force Launches X-37B Space Plane on 4th Mystery Mission". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  145. ^ Gruss, Mike (23 July 2015). "Delta 4 Launches 7th WGS satellite". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  146. ^ Dean, James (2 September 2015). "Atlas V delivers military satellite to orbit". USA Today. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  147. ^ Powers, Scott (2 September 2015). "Atlas V liftoff creates cloud of confusion". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  148. ^ "Launch Photos: NROL-55 Spy Satellite and Cubesats Blast Off". Space.com. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  149. ^ Gruss, Mike (2 November 2015). "U.S. Air Force Launches 11th GPS 2F Satellite". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  150. ^ "Rocket carries US supplies to International Space Station". BBC News. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  151. ^ Lewin, Sarah (6 December 2015). "Cygnus Spaceship Launch Restarts Orbital ATK Cargo Missions for NASA". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  152. ^ Graham, William (9 February 2016). "ULA Delta IV launches with NROL-45". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  153. ^ Graham, William (19 August 2016). "ULA Delta IV successfully launches AFSPC-6 mission". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  154. ^ Ray, Justin (24 March 2016). "Atlas 5 rocket forced to improvise during Tuesday's climb to orbit". SpaceFlight Now. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  155. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft for NASA". United Launch Alliance. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  156. ^ Cofield, Calla (24 June 2016). "Military Satellite Launched Into Orbit by United Launch Alliance". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  157. ^ Gruss, Mike (24 June 2016). "Atlas 5 returns to flight with launch of Navy's MUOS-5". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  158. ^ Wall, Mike (28 July 2016). "New American Spy Satellite Launches on Secret Mission". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  159. ^ Gruss, Mike (28 July 2016). "Atlas 5 launches NRO mission from the Cape". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  160. ^ Wall, Mike (8 September 2016). "Next Stop, Bennu! NASA Launches Bold Asteroid-Sampling Mission". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  161. ^ Wall, Mike (20 November 2016). "Next-generation weather satellite launches to begin forecasting "revolution"". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  162. ^ a b Santana, Marco (7 December 2016). . Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on 11 December 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  163. ^ Graham, William (10 November 2016). "Atlas V launches WorldView-4 out of Vandenberg". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket – interrupted by a wildfire – finally conducted a rare commercial launch on Friday, tasked with orbiting the WorldView-4 Earth-imaging satellite in a mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
  164. ^ Graham, William (7 December 2016). "ULA Delta IV launches WGS-8 satellite". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. United Launch Alliance (ULA) has launched a Delta IV rocket on Wednesday evening, carrying the eighth satellite in the U.S. Air Force's Wideband Global Satcom system.
  165. ^ Graham, William (18 December 2016). "Atlas V completes ULA's 2016 with EchoStar XIX launch". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. United Launch Alliance launched its last Atlas V rocket of 2016 Sunday, deploying the EchoStar XIX commercial communications satellite for Hughes Netwebsite Systems.
  166. ^ Dean, James (18 December 2016). "Atlas V rocket launches EchoStar 19 satellite". Florida Today. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  167. ^ Harwood, William (18 March 2017). "Delta 4 rocket launches powerful military satellite". CBS News. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  168. ^ Harwood, William (1 March 2017). "Atlas 5 rocket launches secret military payload". CBS News. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  169. ^ Etherington, Darrell (1 March 2017). "United Launch Alliance successfully launches an Atlas V with U.S. reconnaissance satellite on board". TechCrunch. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  170. ^ Hardwood, William (15 October 2017). "Fifth time's the charm for Atlas rocket and NRO". CBS News. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  171. ^ Graham, William (18 August 2017). "ULA Atlas V launches TDRS-M out of Cape Canaveral". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  172. ^ Klotz, Irene (18 April 2017). "Atlas V Rocket Launches Private Cygnus Cargo Ship to Space Station". Space.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  173. ^ Harwood, William (18 November 2017). "NASA launches powerful polar weather satellite". CBS News. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  174. ^ Graham, William (19 January 2018). "Atlas V launches with SBIRS GEO-4". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 16 July 2018. United Launch Alliance's Atlas V has launched on her seventy-fifth flight, lofting the SBIRS GEO-4, a missile early warning satellite.
  175. ^ Bartels, Meghan (12 August 2018). "Launch Photos! NASA's Parker Solar Probe Blasts Off to Touch the Sun". Space.com. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  176. ^ Clark, Stephen (18 March 2015). "Delta 4-Heavy selected for launch of solar probe". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  177. ^ "NASA Press Kit: Parker Solar Probe" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 15 August 2018.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  178. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches GPS III Satellite for U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center". United Launch Alliance. 22 August 2019.
  179. ^ Wall, Mike (18 December 2019). "Boeing's 1st Starliner and Atlas V Rocket Arrive at Pad for Friday Launch". Space.com. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  180. ^ Thompson, Amy (10 February 2020). "Solar Orbiter launches on historic mission to study the sun's poles". Space.com. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  181. ^ Erwin, Sandra (26 March 2020). "ULA's Atlas 5 launches AEHF-6 communications satellite in its first mission for U.S. Space Force". SpaceNews. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  182. ^ Thompson, Amy (26 March 2020). "US launches advanced satellite in 1st Space Force national security mission". Space.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  183. ^ Cross, Theresa (17 May 2020). "ULA Successfully Launches Atlas V, X-37B Spaceplane". Spaceflight Insider. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  184. ^ Gebhardt, Chris (29 July 2020). "Perseverance, Ingenuity begin seven month journey to Mars". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  185. ^ Graham, William (13 November 2020). "Atlas V successfully launches NROL-101". NASA. Retrieved 22 November 2020.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  186. ^ Strout, Nathan (29 March 2021). "America's next missile warning satellite arrives in Florida". C4ISR. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  187. ^ "United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches SBIRS GEO Flight 5 Mission in Support of National Security". United Launch Alliance. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  188. ^ United Launch Alliance [@ulalaunch] (18 May 2021). "MISSION SUCCESS! United Launch Alliance's #AtlasV deploys #SBIRSGEO5 for the U.S. Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center..." (Tweet). Retrieved 24 May 2021 – via Twitter.
  189. ^ Warren, Haygen (16 October 2021). "NASA, ULA launch historic Lucy mission". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  190. ^ Derek 'DK' Knabenbauer, Haygen Warren, Chris Gebhardt, and Stephen Marr (15 October 2021). Asteroid Hunter: Lucy's Journey to the Trojan Asteroids. NASA Spaceflight (video). Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  191. ^ Graham, William (29 August 2012). "Atlas V launches at the third attempt with RBSP spacecraft". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  192. ^ Graham, William (15 October 2017). "Atlas V successfully launches with NROL-52". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  193. ^ Graham, William (27 May 2010). "Delta IV finally launches with GPS IIF SV-1 following scrubs". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  194. ^ Berger, Eric (30 September 2020). "Delta IV Heavy rocket delayed again, raising concerns of aging infrastructure". Ars Technica. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  195. ^ Howell, Elizabeth (9 April 2018). "Atlas V: Reliable, Flexible Rocket". Space.com. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  196. ^ Howell, Elizabeth (21 September 2016). "Vandenberg: West Coast Launch Site". Space.com. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  197. ^ Graham, William (12 January 2018). "ULA Delta IV successfully launches NROL-47". NASA Spaceflight. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  198. ^ Clark, Stephen (23 September 2002). "Historic launch pad faces uncertain future after final West Coast Delta 4 mission – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  199. ^ "SPACE LAUNCH DELTA 30 TO LEASE SPACE LAUNCH COMPLEX 6 TO SPACE X". Vandenberg Space Force Base. Retrieved 24 April 2023.[permanent dead link]
  200. ^ Foust, Jeff (2 May 2018). "Firefly Aerospace to take over Vandenberg Delta 2 pad". SpaceNews. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  201. ^ Dean, James (31 December 2017). "Southbound? Cape rockets may fly new path toward poles". Florida Today. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  202. ^ Speck, Emilee (30 September 2020). "With weather improving, ULA will try again to launch national security payload". Graham Media Group. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  203. ^ Avery, Greg (5 April 2010). "United Launch Alliance to stay in Centennial area at expanded HQ campus". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  204. ^ Clines, Keith (26 February 2017). "ULA rocket plant a boost to Decatur's image". The Decatur Daily. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  205. ^ Kelley, Rick (14 April 2017). "ULA to cut workforce by 875 workers". Valley Morning Star. Retrieved 13 November 2018.[permanent dead link]
  206. ^ Wallace, Alicia (24 July 2015). "Pueblo lands United Launch Alliance rocket R&D operation". The Denver Post. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  207. ^ a b "Construction milestone achieved for Vulcan's launch platform". United Launch Alliance. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  208. ^ @ToryBruno (6 August 2019). "Mighty Atlas is not the only thing rolling at the Cape today. Check the new Vulcan MLP arrival" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Kutter, Bernard; Monda, Eric; Wenner, Chauncey & Rhys, Noah (August 2015). "Distributed Launch – Enabling Beyond LEO Missions" (PDF). AIAA SPACE 2015 Conference and Exposition. doi:10.2514/6.2015-4593. ISBN 978-1-62410-334-6 – via United Launch Alliance.
  • Ragab, Mohamed M.; Cheatwood, F. McNeil; Hughes, Stephen J. & Lowry, Allen (August 2015). "Launch Vehicle Recovery and Reuse" (PDF). AIAA SPACE 2015 Conference and Exposition. doi:10.2514/6.2015-4490. ISBN 978-1-62410-334-6. S2CID 111429510 – via United Launch Alliance.
  • "Free CubeSat rideshares offered by ULA for Atlas V launches". NASA Spaceflight. November 2015.
  • "Boeing, Lockheed Martin to Form Launch Services Joint Venture". SpaceRef. 2 May 2005. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2006.
  • "FTC gives preliminary clearance to United Launch Alliance". Spaceflight Now. 3 October 2006.
  • . Space Travel. 4 December 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.

February 21, 2024
united, launch, alliance, commonly, referred, american, aerospace, manufacturer, defense, contractor, launch, service, provider, that, manufactures, operates, rockets, that, launch, spacecraft, into, earth, orbit, trajectories, other, bodies, solar, system, al. United Launch Alliance LLC commonly referred to as ULA is an American aerospace manufacturer defense contractor and launch service provider that manufactures and operates rockets that launch spacecraft into Earth orbit and on trajectories to other bodies in the Solar System ULA also designed and builds the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the Space Launch System SLS United Launch Alliance LLCAtlas V 551 launch with Juno spacecraftCompany typeJoint ventureIndustrySpacelaunch providerFoundedDecember 1 2006 17 years ago 2006 12 01 HeadquartersCentennial Colorado United StatesKey peopleTory Bruno CEO ProductsVulcan CentaurAtlas V retiring Delta IV Heavy retiring ICPS retiring Delta II retired Delta IV retired RevenueUS 1 32 billion 2018 Number of employees2500 2018 1 3600 2014 3900 2009 4200 2008 2 ParentLockheed Martin Space 50 Boeing Defense Space amp Security 50 Websitewww wbr ulalaunch wbr comThe company was formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense Space amp Security The primary customers of ULA are the Department of Defense DoD and NASA 3 ULA provides launch services using Delta IV Heavy Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur launch vehicles Using these and the retired Delta II and Delta IV launch systems ULA has launched payloads including weather telecommunications and national security satellites scientific probes and orbiters ULA also launches the Boeing Starliner and commercial satellites 4 ULA has announced plans to retire Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V In 2014 ULA began development of the Vulcan Centaur rocket as a successor to the Atlas V and Delta IV with an initial flight planned for 2019 5 6 After multiple delays the maiden flight took place on 8 January 2024 7 with the initial mission launching Astrobotic Technology s Peregrine lunar lander 8 Contents 1 Company history 1 1 Formation 1 2 Michael Gass era 2005 2014 1 3 Tory Bruno era 2014 onward 2 Products 2 1 Vulcan Centaur 2 2 Retiring 2 2 1 Atlas V 2 2 2 Delta IV Heavy 2 2 3 ICPS 2 3 Retired 2 3 1 Delta II 2 3 2 Delta IV 3 Launch history 3 1 2006 2009 3 2 2010 2014 3 3 2015 2019 3 4 2020 3 5 2021 4 Infrastructure 4 1 Launch facilities 4 2 Headquarters and manufacturing 4 3 Spaceflight Processing Operations Center 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksCompany history editFormation edit Boeing and Lockheed Martin announced their intent to form a 50 50 joint venture on 2 May 2005 aiming to consolidate the manufacture and deployment of US government expendable launch vehicles and launch services The United Launch Alliance name was announced at the same time 9 Prior to the creation of the United Launch Alliance and contrary to expectations of the Office of the Secretary of Defense a strong competitive commercial launch market did not materialize within the United States Estimated prices for future contracts and program costs increased resulting in a Nunn McCurdy cost breach 10 There was also considerable turmoil within the United States Air Force USAF space community and between the two EELV launch service providers due to competition in the shrinking space launch market cost increases and the growing need for reliable access to space This turmoil culminated in civil and criminal fraud accusations being brought against Boeing relating to the improper use of competitors information and racketeering 11 12 As a result the United States Department of Defense changed its acquisition strategy to one which would maintain assured access to space Under the Buy III program all fixed costs were covered by the US government which brought about a deal between the two major EELV contractors to combine their efforts into a single company 13 Annual savings were estimated to be US 100 150 million SpaceX challenged the legality of the launch services monopoly on 23 October 2005 on anti trust grounds creating competition with reusable launch systems 14 The Federal Trade Commission gave ULA anti trust clearance on 3 October 2006 15 It was the FTC s opinion that due to the challenge of entering the government medium to heavy launch services market the entry of SpaceX was unlikely to reverse the anti competitive effects resulting from the formation of ULA 16 but it approved the joint venture on the basis that the benefits of assured access to space for national security outweighed anti competitive harm 17 The commission required ULA to cooperate on equivalent terms with all providers of government space vehicles provide equal consideration and support to all launch service providers when seeking any U S government delivery in orbit contract and to safeguard competitively sensitive information obtained from other providers of space vehicles and launch services 16 Michael Gass era 2005 2014 edit ULA merged the production and operation of the two companies government space launch services into one central plant in Decatur Alabama and merged all engineering into another central facility in Littleton Colorado The parent companies retained responsibility for marketing and sales of the Delta and Atlas rockets 18 ULA had a peak of seven space launch facilities between 2005 and 2011 including three Delta II launchpads which were decommissioned starting in 2011 19 Two years after its formation in late 2008 ULA announced it would lay off 350 of its 4200 workers in early 2009 2 In the event ULA had approximately 3900 employees by August 2009 20 ULA joined the Commercial Spaceflight Federation CSF in June 2010 as an executive member ULA s CEO Michael Gass described the company s membership as a natural fit for us and we are proud to do so 21 By May 2014 ULA s membership of the CSF had lapsed 22 With the introduction of competition from lower cost launch providers and the annually increasing costs of ULA launches increased attention has been paid to the amounts ULA has received for U S government launch contracts and for its annual government funding of 1 billion for launch capability and readiness This readiness requirement included the maintenance of five launch pads and a number of variants of the Delta II Delta IV Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V rockets 13 As a result of increasing costs by ULA in April 2012 the EELV program triggered a critical Nunn McCurdy cost breach and a reassessment of the program of which ULA was the sole participant 11 An uncontested USAF block purchase of 36 rocket cores for up to 28 launches which was valued at US 11 billion was awarded in December 2013 and drew protest from SpaceX which said the cost of ULA s launches were approximately US 460 million each and proposed a price of US 90 million to provide similar launches 23 In response ULA s CEO Michael Gass said its average launch price was US 225 million with future launches as low as US 100 million 24 Tory Bruno era 2014 onward edit nbsp Tory Bruno with former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Michael Gass stepped down as ULA s CEO in August 2014 and was replaced by Tory Bruno former vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Strategic and Missile Defense Systems 25 ULA entered into a partnership with Blue Origin in September 2014 to develop the BE 4 LOX methane engine to replace the RD 180 on a new lower cost first stage booster rocket At the time the engine was in its third year of development by Blue Origin ULA said it expected the new stage and engine to start flying no earlier than 2019 on a successor to the Atlas V 26 A month later ULA announced a major restructuring of processes and workforce to halve launch costs partly due to competition from SpaceX The United States Government Accountability Office GAO calculated the average cost of each ULA rocket launch for the U S government had risen to approximately US 420 million in 2014 27 28 ULA had less success securing deals for Earth observation commercial communication and privately owned satellites than it had with launching U S military payloads 28 In November 2014 Tory Bruno stated the structuring was intended to lead to improvements in how ULA interacts with its customers both governmental and commercial shorten launch cycles and halve launch costs again 29 Part of that program involved the development of a new rocket the Vulcan initially with private funds to tackle skyrocketing launch costs 30 Bruno believed the new lower cost launcher could be competitive in the commercial satellite sector 28 ULA intended to have preliminary design ideas in place for a blending of the Atlas V and Delta IV technology by the end of 2014 28 29 but the high level design was not announced until April 2015 31 In February 2016 it was announced the development of the Vulcan rocket would be funded via a public private partnership with the U S government By early 2016 the USAF had committed 201 million of funding for Vulcan development ULA had not put a firm price on the cost of Vulcan development but according to Mike Gross of SpaceNews Bruno said new rockets typically cost US 2 billion including US 1 billion for the main engine 32 In 2016 ULA had asked the U S government to provide a minimum of 1 2 billion by 2020 to assist the development of the new U S launch vehicle 32 It was unclear how the change in development funding mechanisms would change ULA plans for pricing market driven launch services 31 Since Vulcan development began in October 2014 the privately generated funding for Vulcan development has been approved only on a short term basis 30 32 The ULA board of directors which was composed of executives from Boeing and Lockheed Martin would approve development funding on a quarterly basis 33 ULA planned to reduce its number of launchpads from five in 2015 to two 34 ULA released contract values to the public and new CEO Tory Bruno testified before Congress in March 2015 that while ULA receives government subsidies to conduct national security launches the same is true of SpaceX which received funding to develop new capabilities and the use of low cost or no cost leases of previously developed launch infrastructure 35 It is difficult to directly compare launch costs because they are not necessarily calculated using the same cost model assumptions 11 ULA announced in February 2015 it was considering undertaking domestic production of the Russian RD 180 rocket engine at the Decatur Alabama rocket stage manufacturing facility The U S manufactured engines would be used for government civil NASA or commercial launches and would not be used for U S military launches 36 This idea was abandoned following the passage of legislation permitting the continued purchase of the RD 180 from Russia 37 In May 2015 ULA stated it would go out of business unless it won commercial and civil satellite launch orders to offset an expected slump in U S military and spy launches 38 The same month ULA announced it would lay off 12 of its executives a reduction of 30 in December 2015 The management layoffs were the beginning of a major reorganization and redesign as ULA endeavors to slash costs and hunt out new customers to ensure continued growth despite the rise of SpaceX 39 40 A controversy arose in March 2016 following public remarks by ULA VP of Engineering Brett Tobey whose comments were according to Peter de Selding of SpaceNews resentful of SpaceX and dismissive of one of the two competitors Aerojet Rocketdyne for the new engine that will power the Vulcan launch vehicle which was under development 41 Tobey resigned on 16 March 2016 42 and Bruno disavowed the remarks 43 Senator John McCain asked the DoD to investigate the comments that implied it may have shown favoritism to a major defense contractor or that efforts have been made to silence members of Congress 44 The Secretary of Defense asked the DoD s Inspector General to investigate 45 In 2016 ULA released the Cislunar 1000 Vision with an aim of creating an economy on the Moon and in Earth orbit with 1 000 people living and working in space Core to this aim was that the production of fuel in space would allow for dramatically cheaper space travel ULA made clear it was willing to become a customer for in space refueling It previously announced a willingness to pay US 3 000 per kilogram for fuel delivered in low Earth orbit US 500 per kilogram on the lunar surface and US 1 000 per kilogram at L1 ULA believes it will need off Earth propellant supplies sometime in the 2020s In December 2016 ULA created an online pricing tool called Rocket Builder which allowed potential customers and the public to estimate launch costs of the Atlas V rocket with configurable orbits payloads and launch services 46 Purchase price estimates were removed from the tool in 2018 because it potentially provided commercially sensitive information to ULA s competitors 47 Despite ULA s cost cutting and restructuring the cheapest ULA space launch in early 2018 the Atlas V 401 was priced at approximately US 109 million 28 Following the failure of a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying AMOS 6 incorrect reports about potential corporate espionage by ULA circulated 48 These reports were proved to be false and on 2 January 2017 SpaceX released an official statement saying the cause of the failure was a buckled liner in several of the COPV tanks 49 In July 2017 the company was awarded US 191 million single launch contract to launch the STP 3 mission aboard the heavy lift Atlas V 551 50 In January 2018 ULA took over marketing and sales responsibilities for Atlas V launches 51 Dan Collins ULA s inaugural Chief operating officer retired in April 2018 and was replaced by John Elbon former vice president and program manager at Boeing Defense Space amp Security 52 53 During the 2019 2020 COVID 19 pandemic some aspects of ULA s launch related outreach were scaled back but the company said it would maintain its launch schedule 54 ULA implemented a vaccination requirement for its employees on 1 September 2021 55 On 7 August 2020 the U S Space Force awarded contracts for the second phase of its long term launch services program for national security launches through 2020 United Launch Alliance along with SpaceX was chosen over Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman The decision was driven primarily by past launch performance As ULA has had 100 success record in about two decades of operation it was awarded 60 of the contract 56 In late 2020 ULA won a contract to launch and provide in flight refueling for the Dynetics lunar lander Initially refueling would be provided by launching additional rockets to carry fuel Each lunar mission would include two other Vulcan Centaur launches The propellant from the upper stages of these rockets would be transferred to the Dynetics lander ULA would significantly increase its launch pace of refueling rockets to minimize the boil off of cryogenic fuel The in space refueling capability would have been tested in low Earth orbit before any lunar missions take place 57 However in April 2021 NASA announced that SpaceX would instead be the prime contractor for the crewed lunar lander having ranked the Dynetics bid low in readiness by 2024 58 In September 2020 Tory Bruno announced that it had found a vendor in its supply chain that has partial Chinese ownership The vendor designed software tools for use in development of the Vulcan Centaur rocket Bruno said the vendor did not acquire any sensitive information The company in question is KUKA Robotics The Chinese interest in the vendor was discovered by a private investigator hired by ULA to monitor the security of its supply chain The case was referred to the FBI Bruno called on the federal government to cooperate more closely with the private sector to deal with Chinese corporate espionage 59 In August 2021 ULA announced the pending retirement of Atlas V 60 Following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 the U S Congress had mandated that the Department of Defense would stop using Russian built space hardware including the RD 180 engine used on Atlas V ULA planned an orderly retirement and had procured and had in hand 100 of the engines to continue building Atlas V as it developed a replacement rocket At the time of the announcement they could fly 29 more missions and all of them had been sold so no new orders would be accepted Products editAs of 2023 ULA still operates the Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy rockets both of which are retiring Both were developed under the National Security Space Launch NSSL program by Lockheed Martin and Boeing respectively Both first launched in 2002 and both transferred to ULA when it was formed in 2006 along with other rockets that have since been retired The Delta II and the entire Delta IV family transferred to ULA in 2006 Delta II and all members of the Delta IV family except Delta IV Heavy have since retired The last Delta IV Heavy will launch in March 2024 ULA also built the ICPS for the Space Launch system ICPS derives from the Delta IV upper stage One ICPS flew on Artemis I and ICPS will also be used on Artemis II and Artemis III In 2014 ULA began development of Vulcan Centaur to replace its entire rocket fleet starting in 2019 but development encountered multiple delays 31 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 The first Vulcan Centaur certification flight launched on 8 January 2024 68 Vulcan Centaur edit nbsp Vulcan CentaurMain article Vulcan Centaur Vulcan is a heavy lift launch vehicle that ULA developed to meet the NSSL requirements The rocket is ULA s first launch vehicle design which adapted and evolved technologies developed for the Atlas V and Delta IV rockets Vulcan is designed to achieve human rating certification to allow the launch of crew should a customer need it for a vehicle such as the Boeing Starliner or a crewed version of the Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser 69 Vulcan will have a maximum liftoff thrust of 17 000 000 N 3 800 000 lbf and carry 25 000 kg 56 000 lb to low Earth orbit 15 000 kg 33 000 lb to a geo transfer orbit and 7 300 kg 16 000 lb to geostationary orbit with a heavier payload than any currently available single core rocket The first stage propellant tanks share the diameter of the Delta IV Common Booster Core but contain liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants rather than the Delta IV s liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen Blue Origin s BE 4 engine was selected to power Vulcan s first stage in September 2018 after a competition with the Aerojet Rocketdyne s AR1 70 ULA may eventually use the Sensible Modular Autonomous Return Technology SMART to allow re use of the BE 4 engines 71 The booster engines avionics and thrust structure would be detached as a module from the propellant tanks after booster engine cutoff with the module descending through the atmosphere under an inflatable heat shield After parachute deployment the module would be captured by a helicopter in mid air ULA estimated that this would reduce the cost of the first stage propulsion by 90 and 65 of the total first stage cost 72 The BE 4 burns liquified natural gas 73 Vulcan s upper stage is the Centaur V an upgraded variant of the Common Centaur Centaur III that is currently used on the Atlas V ULA planned to eventually upgrade the Centaur V with Integrated Vehicle Fluids technology to become the Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage ACES 74 Those plans were dropped in 2020 with efforts focusing on improving the capabilities of the existing Centaur V upper stage 75 During the first several years of its development the ULA board of directors made quarterly funding commitments to Vulcan Centaur development 32 As of October 2018 update the U S government had committed approximately US 1 2 billion in a public private partnership to Vulcan Centaur development with future funding being dependent on ULA securing an NSSL contract 76 By March 2016 the U S Air Force had committed up to US 202 million of funding for Vulcan development At that time ULA had not yet estimated the total cost of Vulcan development but CEO Tory Bruno noted that new rockets typically cost US 2 billion including US 1 billion for the main engine 32 In April 2016 ULA Board of Directors member and President of Boeing s Network and Space Systems N amp SS division Craig Cooning expressed confidence in the possibility of further USAF funding of Vulcan development 77 In March 2018 ULA CEO Tory Bruno said that Vulcan Centaur had been 75 privately funded up to that time quantify 78 In October 2018 and following a request for proposals and technical evaluation ULA was awarded US 967 million to develop a prototype Vulcan launch system as a part of the National Security Space Launch program Two other providers Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems were awarded US 500 million and US 792 million in development funding 76 with detailed proposals and a competitive selection process to follow in 2019 The USAF s goal with the next generation of Launch Service Agreements is to get out of the business of buying rockets and move to acquiring launch services from launch service providers but U S government funding of launch vehicle development continues 76 The Vulcan rocket directly and indirectly provides about 22 000 jobs spread over 46 states 79 In August 2020 the U S Space Force awarded ULA a firm fixed price indefinite delivery contract to launch 60 of National Security Space Launch NSSL Phase 2 missions over a 5 year procurement with the next generation Vulcan Centaur rocket the other 40 were won by SpaceX 80 In September 2020 ULA announced that they are carefully studying a Vulcan Heavy variant with three booster cores Speculation about a new variant had been rampant for months after an image of a model of that version popped on social media Tory Bruno later tweeted a clearer image of the model and said it was the subject of ongoing study 75 ULA has been using the Atlas V to test systems for the Vulcan Centaur 73 In early 2021 NASA added the Vulcan Centaur to the Launch Services II contract NLS II This makes the Vulcan Centaur part of the Launch Services Program and subjects it the on ramp provisions in NLS II The on ramp provisions allow existing launch providers to introduce new vehicles that NASA has not yet requested 81 On 24 October 2023 after completing a successful static fire 4 months ago 82 ULA announced they were targeting 8 January 2024 for the inaugural launch of Vulcan Centaur 8 On January 8 2024 the Vulcan Centaur took off from Cape Canaveral at 2 18AM ET 83 The launch sent the Peregrine lunar lander in orbit toward the moon with a February 23 2024 landing date 83 Retiring edit Current ULA fleet nbsp Delta IV Heavy nbsp Atlas V 551 Atlas V edit Main article Atlas V Atlas V is ULA s main active launch vehicle but is scheduled for retirement All remaining Atlas V flights have been sold and no more orders will be accepted As of December 2023 update Atlas V flew eight times from its first flight in 2002 until ULA was formed in 2006 and ULA has flown it 91 times with 17 flights remaining Atlas V has flown in eleven configurations Only the 551 and N22 configurations remain active Atlas V is the fifth major version in the Atlas rocket family It is an expendable launch system that was originally designed by Lockheed Martin Each Atlas V rocket consists of two main stages The first stage is powered by a Russian RD 180 engine which is manufactured by Energomash and burns kerosene and liquid oxygen 84 The Atlas V has been modified for human spaceflight to support flights of the Boeing Starliner Human rating required new computers to monitor performance and trigger an abort when necessary data links between the rocket and spacecraft and other changes Crewed flights will include a mechanism to allow astronauts to manually abort For Starliner flights Atlas V is configured with two SRBs from Aerojet Rocketdyne This is the only Atlas V configuration ever to fly without a payload fairing and the only configuration with two engines on the upper stage With the Starliner on top the rocket is 172 feet tall 85 ULA has contracted to support nine Starliner missions with Atlas V The first Starliner mission was the Boeing Orbital Flight Test in December 2019 Amazon has selected the Atlas V to launch satellites for Project Kuiper Project Kuiper will offer a high speed satellite internet service The contract signed with Amazon is for nine launches Project Kuiper aims to put thousands of satellites into orbit ULA is Amazon s first launch provider 86 nbsp Centaur rocket modelAtlas V uses the 3 05 meter diameter Centaur III upper stage 87 It is powered by one or two RL10 engines which are manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne and burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen Atlas V uses the single engine version for all missions except Starliner missions which use the dual engine version The dual engine version allows the rocket to fly on a shallower path to orbit meaning horizontal velocity is emphasized over vertical velocity This in turn reduces the maximum G forces endured by the crew and allows for a safe abort at any time during the launch Centaur III also has an Aft Bulkhead Carrier capacity The capacity was developed initially for the National Reconnaissance Office to take advantage of the extra capacity Atlas V has 88 Delta IV Heavy edit Main article Delta IV Heavy Delta IV Heavy is the largest member of the Delta IV family and the only remaining active member It is retiring and its last remaining launch is scheduled for March 2024 The Delta IV Heavy combines a 5 m 16 ft diameter DCSS and payload fairing with two additional CBCs These are strap on boosters which are separated earlier in the flight than the center CBC As of 2007 a longer 5 meter diameter composite fairing was standard on the Delta IV Heavy 89 with an aluminum isogrid fairing also available The aluminum trisector three part fairing was built by Boeing and derived from a Titan IV fairing 90 The trisector fairing was first used on the DSP 23 flight 91 ICPS edit Main article Delta Cryogenic Second Stage Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage ULA designed and builds the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the Space Launch System SLS in Decatur Alabama and by Boeing in Huntsville Alabama It is a variant of the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage stage used for the Delta rocket family and is used as the second stage of the SLS block 1 The ICPS was the first component of the SLS to arrive at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ICPS is located high on the SLS stack just below the Orion capsule 92 ICPS consists of a cylindrical liquid hydrogen tank structurally separated from an oblate spheroid liquid oxygen tank The liquid hydrogen tank cylinder carries payload launch loads while the liquid oxygen tank and engine are suspended below within the SLS interstage The stage is powered by a single Pratt amp Whitney RL10B 2 engine which features an extendable carbon carbon nozzle to improve specific impulse 93 Only three ICPS stages are needed one for each of the SLS block one vehicles The first was launched on the Artemis I mission and the other two will be launched on the Artemis II and Artemis III missions after which SLS Block 1 and ICPS will be retired Retired edit Delta II edit Main article Delta II Delta II was an expendable launch system that was originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas and was later built by Boeing prior to the formation of ULA Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family and entered service in 1989 Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000 and the two later Delta 7000 variants Light and Heavy The rocket flew its final mission ICESat 2 on 15 September 2018 94 95 A nearly complete Delta II made from flight qualified spare parts is displayed in its 7320 10 configuration in the rocket garden at Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex 96 97 Delta IV edit Main article Delta IV Delta IV is a group of five expendable launch systems in the Delta rocket family which was introduced in the early 2000s 98 99 The Delta IV was originally designed by Boeing s Defense Space amp Security division for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle EELV program and became a ULA product in 2006 The Delta IV is mostly used for launching United States Air Force military payloads but has also been used to launch a number of U S government non military payloads and one commercial satellite 100 94 101 The Delta IV originally had two main versions which allowed the family to accommodate a range of payload sizes and masses models include the retired Medium which had four configurations and the Heavy As of 2019 only the Heavy remains active payloads that would previously fly on Medium moved to either the existing Atlas V or the forthcoming Vulcan Centaur Retirement of the Delta IV family as a whole is anticipated in 2024 102 103 Launch history editMain articles Atlas V Atlas V launches Delta IV Delta IV launches and Vulcan Centaur Vulcan Centaur launches 5 10 15 20 2006 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Success Partial Failure Scheduled 2006 2009 edit nbsp Ignition of the engines of a Delta IIThe first launch conducted by ULA was a Delta II from Vandenberg Space Force Base on 14 December 2006 104 carrying the satellite USA 193 for the National Reconnaissance Office 105 106 107 108 The satellite failed shortly after launch and was intentionally destroyed on 21 February 2008 by an SM 3 missile that was fired from the Ticonderoga class cruiser USS Lake Erie 105 ULA s first Atlas V launch was in March 2007 it was an Atlas V variant 401 launching six military research satellites for Space Test Program STP 1 This mission also performed three burns of the Centaur upper stage it was the first three burn mission for Atlas V ULA s first commercial mission COSMO SkyMed was launched on behalf of Italy s Ministry of Defense three months later using a Delta II rocket 106 On June 15 2007 the engine in the Centaur upper stage of a ULA launched Atlas V shut down early leaving its payload a pair of NROL 30 ocean surveillance satellites in a lower than intended orbit 109 The NRO declared the launch a success 110 2007 also saw ULA s first two interplanetary spacecraft launches using the Delta II the Phoenix probe was launched to Mars in August 2007 and the Dawn satellite to was launched to the asteroids Vesta and Ceres in September 2007 111 112 Using a Delta II the WorldView 1 satellite was also launched into a low Earth orbit on behalf of DigitalGlobe The company s first launch to geostationary transfer orbit using an Atlas V 421 variant carrying the USA 195 or WGS 1 communications satellite also occurred that year 106 113 ULA s tenth mission was launching satellite GPS IIR 17 into medium Earth orbit on a Delta II 106 The company completed its first Delta IV launch using the Delta IV Heavy rocket to place a payload into geosynchronous orbit in November 2007 which was followed by three more launches in December 2007 106 2008 saw seven launches including Atlas V s from Vandenberg s Space Launch Complex 3E and five others using the Delta II 106 The Atlas launch carried NROL 28 in March 2008 114 and in September 2008 the GeoEye 1 satellite was orbited by a Delta II rocket 115 ULA completed eight Delta II five Atlas V and three Delta IV launches in 2009 106 The Delta II launches carried three Space Tracking and Surveillance System satellites over two launches two Global Positioning System satellites 116 and the NOAA 19 and WorldView 2 satellites 117 118 as well as the Kepler and the Wide field Infrared Survey Explorer space telescopes 106 119 The Atlas launches carried the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS mission as part of the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program which was later intentionally crashed into the Moon and found the existence of water 120 other 2009 Atlas V launches in included Intelsat 14 WGS 2 113 PAN and a weather satellite as part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program DMSP The Delta IV rockets carried the NROL 26 GOES 14 121 and WGS 3 satellites 113 106 2010 2014 edit In 2010 Atlas V launches deployed the Solar Dynamics Observatory the first Boeing X 37B the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency AEHF satellite and the NROL 41 The Delta II system placed the last COSMO SkyMed and Delta IV launches deployed the GOES 15 GPS Block IIF and USA 223 satellites 106 122 ULA completed eleven launches in 2011 including five by Atlas three by Delta II and three by Delta IV The Atlas system orbited another Boeing X 37 two NROL 34 signals intelligence satellites 123 a Space Based Infrared System SBIRS satellite the Juno spacecraft and Curiosity rover 106 124 The Delta II launches placed the SAC D and Suomi NPP satellites into orbit 125 as well as two spacecraft associated with NASA s GRAIL lunar mission Delta IV launches carried the NROL 49 NROL 27 126 and another GPS satellite 106 ULA s 2012 launches included six Atlas Vs and four Delta IVs The Atlas system carried Mobile User Objective System MUOS and AEHF satellites another Boeing X 37 the Intruder and Quasar satellites and the Van Allen Probes Delta IVs deployed GPS and WGS satellites USA 233 127 128 as well as NROL 25 129 and NROL 15 on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office 106 130 In 2013 the Atlas flew eight times 131 The system launched the TDRS 11 132 Landsat 8 AEHF 3 and NROL 39 satellites as well as SBIRS GPS and MUOS satellites as well as NASA s MAVEN space probe to Mars Delta IV launches orbited the fifth and sixth Wideband Global SATCOM satellites WGS 5 and WGS 6 133 as well as NROL 65 106 127 134 In 2014 ULA s Atlas V orbited the TDRS 12 communications satellite in January 135 the WorldView 3 commercial satellite in August 2014 136 137 and the CLIO communications satellite during September and October 2014 114 Atlas rockets also carried the satellites DMSP 5D 3 F19 NROL 67 NROL 33 and NROL 35 114 Delta IV rockets orbited GPS satellites and two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites and in July 2014 NASA s Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 was carried by a Delta II 114 Orion s first test flight was launched by a Delta IV Heavy rocket in December 2014 as part of Exploration Flight Test 1 138 2015 2019 edit A Delta II rocket orbited a Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite in January 2015 139 In March 2015 an Atlas V rocket carried NASA s Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission spacecraft 140 141 and a Delta IV rocket orbited the GPS IIF 9 satellite on behalf of the U S Air Force 142 143 The U S Air Force s X 37B spaceplane was carried by an Atlas V rocket in May 2015 144 and a Delta IV orbited the WGS 7 satellite in July 2015 145 The fourth MUOS satellite was orbited by an Atlas V in September 2015 146 147 ULA s 100th consecutive successful liftoff was completed on 2 October 2015 when an Atlas V rocket orbited a Mexican Satellite System communications satellite on behalf of the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation 138 The classified NROL 55 satellite was launched by an Atlas V rocket several days later 148 Atlas V rockets launched GPS Block IIF satellites and the Cygnus cargo spacecraft in November 2015 and December 2015 respectively 149 150 151 In 2016 Delta IV rockets carried the NROL 45 satellite and Air Force Space Command 6 mission in February 2016 and August 2016 respectively 152 153 During a launch of the Atlas V rocket on 22 March 2016 a minor first stage anomaly led to shutdown of the first stage engine approximately five seconds before anticipated The Centaur upper stage was able to compensate by firing for approximately one minute longer than planned using its reserved fuel margin 154 155 Atlas V rockets carried MUOS 5 in June 2016 156 157 NROL 61 satellites in July 2016 158 159 and the OSIRIS REx spacecraft in September 2016 160 ULA launched multiple satellites in late 2016 The weather satellite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite GOES R was carried in November 2016 161 162 as was the WorldView 4 imaging satellite 163 In December 2016 the Wideband Global SATCOM s eighth satellite WGS 8 was launched on a Delta IV Medium rocket 162 164 and an Atlas V carried the EchoStar XIX communications satellite on behalf of Hughes Communications 165 166 In March 2017 WGS 9 was orbited by a Delta IV 113 167 Atlas V rockets carried NRO satellites 168 169 170 TDRS M 171 and a Cygnus cargo capsule in 2017 172 The weather satellite NOAA 20 JPSS 1 was launched by a Delta II rocket in November 2017 118 173 nbsp Atlas V 401 launch with InSight nbsp Delta IV Heavy launch with the Parker Solar ProbeAn Atlas V carried the SBIRS GEO 4 military satellite in January 2018 174 The Atlas V s launch of NASA s InSight to Mars in 2018 was the first interplanetary probe to depart from the U S West Coast 111 In August 2018 a Delta IV Heavy launched Parker Solar Probe NASA s solar space probe that was to visit and study the Sun s outer corona in August 2018 175 It was also the Delta IV Heavy with a Star 48BV kick stage 176 and the highest ever spacecraft velocity 177 The company launched the final Delta II rocket carrying ICESat 2 from Vandenberg Air Force Base SLC 2 on 15 September 2018 This marks the last launch of a Delta family rocket based on the original Thor IRBM 95 On 22 August 2019 ULA launched its last Delta IV Medium rocket for the GPS III Magellan project 178 An Atlas V carried Boeing s Starliner Orbital Flight Test OFT mission for NASA in December 2019 179 2020 edit In 2020 an Atlas V carried the Solar Orbiter spacecraft an international collaboration between the European Space Agency ESA and NASA to provide a new global view of the Sun 180 In March 2020 an Atlas V also launched Advanced Extremely High Frequency 6 AEHF 6 the first U S Space Force National Security Mission 181 182 In May 2020 ULA launched an Atlas V rocket carrying the USSF 7 mission with the X 37B spaceplane for the U S Space Force and the mission honored victims of the COVID 19 pandemic as well as first responders health professionals military personnel and other essential workers 183 On 30 July 2020 Atlas V in the 541 configuration successfully launched Perseverance and Ingenuity as part of Mars 2020 towards Mars 184 In November 2020 ULA launched NROL 101 a top secret spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office on board their Atlas V in a 531 configuration This launch was notable because it was the first flight of the GEM 63 solid rocket boosters a version of which will be used on their Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle 185 2021 edit On 18 May 2021 the SBIRS GEO 5 missile warning satellite was launched on an Atlas V 421 rocket 186 187 188 nbsp The launch on 16 October 2021 at 5 34 am EDTThe Lucy spaceflight began on 16 October 2021 upon launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket 189 into a stable parking orbit During the next hour the second stage reignited to place Lucy on an interplanetary trajectory in a heliocentric orbit on a twelve year mission to two groups of Sun Jupiter Lagrange point Trojan asteroids as well as a close flyby of a mainbelt asteroid during one of three planned passes through the asteroid belt If the spacecraft remains operational during the 12 year planned duration it is likely the controlled flight will be continued and directed at additional asteroid targets 190 Infrastructure editLaunch facilities edit nbsp ULA s Horizontal Integration Facility at CCSFS in February 2018ULA operates orbital launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc California In Florida ULA has used Space Launch Complex 41 for Atlas V launches since its maiden flight in August 2002 191 192 and Launch Complex 37 for Delta IV launches since the rocket s maiden flight in November 2002 113 193 Aging infrastructure and low flight cadence from LC 37 contributed to a number of delays in the launch of NROL 44 ULA is looking to mitigate this with improvement to their operations readiness process 194 The company has one launch pad at Vandenberg as of 2023 Space Launch Complex 3 for Atlas and Vulcan launches 63 195 Space Launch Complex 6 is no longer in use since the last Delta IV Heavy launch from there in 2022 196 197 198 199 Space Launch Complex 2 is no longer in active use by ULA since the retirement of the Delta II in September 2018 200 Launches from Cape Canaveral typically head east to give satellites extra momentum from the rotation of the Earth as they head to other planets or into an equatorial orbit Vandenberg Space Force Base is the primary U S launch site from which satellites are sent into polar orbits Commercial and military spacecraft like imaging and weather satellites need to be launched southward on a path to reach a polar orbit to cover the entire globe 201 ULA s Atlas V rocket launched NASA s InSight mission to Mars from the West Coast in 2018 the first interplanetary mission to do so 111 In 2015 as part of the company s transition from the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles to the Vulcan Centaur ULA announced plans to reduce the number of launch pads in use from five to two by the early 2020s 34 ULA works closely with the 45th Weather Squadron on its launches from Florida 202 Headquarters and manufacturing edit nbsp ULA s headquarters building in Centennial ColoradoULA s headquarters in Centennial Colorado is responsible for program management rocket engineering testing and launch support functions 203 ULA s largest factory is 1 6 10 6 sq ft 150 000 m2 and located in Decatur Alabama 204 A factory in Harlingen Texas fabricates and assembles components for the Atlas V rocket 205 In 2015 the company announced the opening of an engineering and propulsion test center in Pueblo Colorado 206 Spaceflight Processing Operations Center edit The Spaceflight Processing Operations Center SPOC located near SLC 40 and SLC 41 is used to construct the mobile launcher platform for the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle It also serve as a storage room for the Atlas Mobile launcher platform MLP 207 On 6 August 2019 the first two parts of Vulcan s MLP were transported to the SPOC 208 SPOC was formerly known as the Solid Motor Assembly and Readiness Facility SMARF during its support of the Titan IVB launch vehicle it was renamed during Vulcan Centaur s topping ceremony in October 2019 207 See also edit nbsp Companies portal nbsp Spaceflight portal nbsp United States portalAerojet Rocketdyne RS 68 and RL10 Blue Origin BE 4 National Security Space Launch Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems Graphite Epoxy Motor RUAG Space payload fairings composite structures Past launch vehiclesDelta II Delta IV MediumOther launch vehicle providersSpaceX United Space Alliance Deep Space Transport LLC Arianespace Mitsubishi Heavy Industries RoscosmosReferences edit About ULA United Launch Alliance Archived from the original on 10 February 2019 Retrieved 17 April 2019 a b United Launch Alliance plans layoffs Denver Business Journal 14 November 2008 Retrieved 16 November 2014 SpaceX breaks Boeing Lockheed monopoly on military space launches Reuters 28 April 2016 Retrieved 29 April 2016 Ray Justin 23 November 2009 Atlas 5 launches Intelsat communications satellite Spaceflight Now Gruss Mike 13 April 2015 ULA s Next Rocket to Be Named Vulcan SpaceNews Retrieved 30 July 2018 Grush Loren 27 September 2018 Military s primary launch provider picks Blue Origin s new engine for future rocket The Verge Retrieved 3 October 2018 Bruno Tory 14 December 2023 VulcanRocket is now in the pipe for its first launch on 8 January Twitter a b NASA Invites Public to Share Excitement of Astrobotic ULA Robotic Artemis Moon Launch NASA 19 December 2023 Retrieved 27 December 2023 Boeing Lockheed Martin to Form Launch Services Joint Venture United Launch Alliance 2 May 2005 Archived from the original on 17 April 2019 Retrieved 17 April 2019 Chaplain Christina 2009 Space Acquisitions Uncertainties in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program Pose Management and Oversight Challenges DIANE Publishing ISBN 978 1 437910315 a b c National Security Space Launch at a Crossroads PDF Congressional Research Service 13 May 2016 Retrieved 5 August 2020 Bowermaster David 9 January 2005 Boeing probe intensifies over secret Lockheed papers Seattle Times Archived from the original on 12 March 2017 Retrieved 7 May 2020 a b Berger Eric 2 August 2017 How America s two greatest rocket companies battled from the beginning Ars Technica Retrieved 18 April 2020 Morris David Z 17 June 2017 Is SpaceX Undercutting the Competition Even More Than Anyone Thought Fortune Archived from the original on 25 January 2019 Retrieved 17 April 2020 FTC gives clearance to United Launch Alliance Spaceflight Now 3 October 2006 a b The Boeing Company Lockheed Martin Corporation and United Launch Alliance Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Orders To Aid Public Comment PDF Federal Register 71 197 60148 60152 12 October 2006 Retrieved 7 May 2020 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Mergers and Acquisitions Understanding the Antitrust Issues 3rd ed Chicago Illinois ABA Section of Antitrust Law 2008 ISBN 978 1 60442 046 3 OCLC 213864774 Erwin Sandra Henry Caleb 24 January 2018 To stay competitive in the launch business ULA courts commercial customers SpaceNews Retrieved 25 June 2018 Graham William 2 July 2014 ULA Delta II successfully lofts OCO 2 to orbit NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 22 February 2015 Avery Greg 5 August 2009 ULA seeks land for a combined HQ Denver Business Journal Retrieved 16 November 2014 Johnson Alexandra 21 June 2010 United Launch Alliance Joins the Commercial Spaceflight Federation Commercial Spaceflight Federation Retrieved 7 May 2020 Membership Commercial Spaceflight Federation 13 May 2014 Archived from the original on 13 May 2014 Retrieved 7 May 2020 Leopold George 28 April 2014 SpaceX launches protest of Air Force rocket contract Defense Systems Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 Retrieved 3 October 2014 Gurss Mike 20 May 2014 Responding to Critics ULA Discloses Pricing Information SpaceNews Archived from the original on 23 May 2014 Gruss Mike 12 August 2014 United Launch Alliance Taps a Lockheed Executive To Replace CEO Gass SpaceNews Archived from the original on 13 August 2014 Retrieved 13 August 2014 Ferster Warren 17 September 2014 ULA To Invest in Blue Origin Engine as RD 180 Replacement SpaceNews Archived from the original on 18 September 2014 Retrieved 13 December 2014 Petersen Melody 12 December 2014 Congress OKs bill banning purchases of Russian made rocket engines Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on 7 March 2017 Retrieved 14 December 2014 Costs of launching military satellites has skyrocketed under contracts the Air Force has given to United Launch Alliance The average cost for each launch using rockets from Boeing and Lockheed has soared to US 420 million according to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office a b c d e Avery Greg 16 October 2014 ULA plans new rocket restructuring to cut launch costs in half Denver Business Journal Archived from the original on 15 March 2017 Retrieved 14 November 2014 a b Delgado Laura M 14 November 2014 ULA s Tory Bruno Vows To Transform Company Space Policy Online Archived from the original on 29 November 2014 Retrieved 14 November 2014 a b Pasztor Andy 17 September 2015 U S Rocket Supplier Looks to Break Short Leash The Wall Street Journal Archived from the original on 16 October 2015 Retrieved 14 October 2015 The aerospace giants Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp shared almost US 500 million in equity profits from the rocket making venture last year when it still had a monopoly on the business of blasting the Pentagon s most important satellites into orbit But since then they ve had us on a very short leash Tory Bruno United Launch s chief executive said a b c Gruss Mike 13 April 2015 ULA s Vulcan Rocket To be Rolled out in Stages SpaceNews Retrieved 23 April 2018 a b c d e Gruss Mike 10 March 2016 ULA s parent companies still support Vulcan with caution SpaceNews Retrieved 11 March 2016 Avery Greg 16 April 2015 The fate of United Launch Alliance and its Vulcan rocket may lie with Congress Denver Business Journal Archived from the original on 10 June 2017 Retrieved 6 June 2015 a b Butler Amy 17 February 2015 New Rocket White Tails In ULA s Long Term Strategy Aviation Week Archived from the original on 5 June 2017 Retrieved 22 February 2015 the plan to field a new rocket engine with Blue Origin called the BE 4 is only step one of a larger strategic plan to take the company from a sole source benefactor mentality to competing in a burgeoning commercial market The Atlas V and Delta IV both have a limited future Bruno Salvatore T Tory 26 June 2015 Testimony to the House Committee on Armed Services PDF U S House of Representatives Document Repository Office of the Clerk Retrieved 23 September 2016 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Fleischauer Eric 7 February 2015 ULA s CEO talks challenges engine plant plans for Decatur The Decatur Daily Retrieved 9 February 2015 Gruss Mike 14 June 2016 Nelson shepherds RD 180 compromise through U S Senate SpaceNews Retrieved 7 May 2020 Shalal Andrea 21 May 2015 Lockheed Boeing rocket venture needs commercial orders to survive Yahoo News Archived from the original on 23 July 2015 Shalal Andrea 15 May 2015 Lockheed Boeing venture lays off 12 executives in major reorganization Reuters Retrieved 16 May 2015 Shalal Andrea 21 May 2015 Lockheed Boeing rocket venture needs commercial orders to survive Reuters Archived from the original on 22 May 2015 Retrieved 22 May 2015 de Selding Peter B 16 March 2016 ULA intends to lower its costs and raise its cool to compete with SpaceX SpaceNews Retrieved 19 March 2016 A de facto monopoly was born with U S government blessing and with a series of lucrative U S government contracts whose principal goal was reliability and capability not value for money de Selding Peter B 17 March 2016 ULA VP resigns following remarks on company s competitive position strategy SpaceNews Retrieved 19 March 2016 Berger Brian 16 March 2016 ULA chief disavows his head engineer s take on Vulcan engine competition SpaceNews Retrieved 19 March 2016 Berger Brian 18 March 2016 McCain calls for investigation of fired ULA executive s controversial comments SpaceNews Retrieved 19 March 2016 Shalal Andrea 18 March 2016 Pentagon to investigate comments by former executive at rocket firm Reuters Retrieved 19 June 2019 Swarts Phillip 1 December 2016 ULA debuts online pricing tool for Atlas launches SpaceNews Retrieved 7 May 2020 Bruno Tory 13 March 2018 ULA s Updated RocketBuilder Site Reddit Archived from the original on 7 May 2020 Retrieved 7 May 2020 Bennett Jay 3 October 2016 Does SpaceX Really Think Someone Sniped Its Rocket Popular Mechanics Retrieved 18 April 2020 Anomaly Updates SpaceX 1 September 2016 Archived from the original on 28 June 2018 Retrieved 18 April 2020 Department of Defense Fiscal Year FY 2018 Budget Estimates Space Procurement Air Force PDF United States Air Force May 2017 Retrieved 11 August 2017 United Launch Alliance Assumes Marketing and Sales for Atlas V Commercial Launches from Lockheed Martin United Launch Alliance 22 January 2018 Archived from the original on 17 April 2019 Retrieved 17 April 2019 United Launch Alliance ULA announced today that it has assumed responsibility for the marketing and sales of Atlas V the world s most reliable launch vehicle from Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services In addition to performing all of the operational activities related to Atlas V launch services as ULA has done since its formation in 2006 ULA now has the full authority to market and sell Atlas V launch services to commercial customers Boeing executive to become ULA chief operating officer SpaceNews 27 April 2018 Retrieved 6 May 2020 Biography John Elbon PDF United Launch Alliance Berger Eric 16 March 2020 The virus has gone global so what happens to the launch industry Ars Technica Retrieved 18 April 2020 Sheetz Michael 19 August 2021 Rocket builder ULA will require employees receive Covid vaccines beginning Sept 1 CNBC Thompson Lauren 17 September 2019 When It Comes To Military Launches SpaceX May No Longer Be The Low Cost Provider Forbes Retrieved 30 September 2020 Grush Loren 30 April 2020 NASA picks SpaceX Blue Origin and Dynetics to create landers to take humans to the Moon The Verge Retrieved 29 October 2020 Foust Jeff 16 April 2021 NASA selects SpaceX to develop crewed lunar lander SpaceNews Archived from the original on 23 May 2021 Retrieved 20 November 2022 Erwin Sandra 15 September 2020 Tory Bruno reveals Chinese company tried to infiltrate ULA s supply chain SpaceNews Retrieved 29 October 2020 Roulette Joey 26 August 2021 ULA stops selling its centerpiece Atlas V setting path for the rocket s retirement The Verge Retrieved 1 September 2021 United Launch Alliance Set to Launch AEHF 4 for U S Air Force Yahoo Finance Retrieved 18 November 2018 Kremer Ken 19 December 2016 Awesome Atlas delivers next gen high speed Echostar 19 internet sat to orbit for America PhysOrg a b Graham William 14 April 2018 ULA Atlas V successfully launches with AFSPC 11 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 30 July 2018 Ray Justin 4 March 2015 Could Delta rockets soon be a thing of the past Spaceflight Now Retrieved 8 December 2016 Gruss Mike 3 March 2015 ULA Targets 2018 for Delta 4 Phase out Seeks Relaxation of RD 180 Ban SpaceNews Retrieved 20 August 2018 Astrobotic Selects United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur Rocket to Launch its First Mission to the Moon United Launch Alliance 19 August 2019 Retrieved 19 August 2019 Foust Jeff 24 October 2023 ULA sets Christmas Eve launch date for first Vulcan Centaur SpaceNews Retrieved 24 October 2023 Belam Martin 8 January 2024 Nasa Peregrine 1 launch Vulcan Centaur rocket carrying Nasa moon lander lifts off in Florida live updates the Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Retrieved 8 January 2024 Bruno Tory torybruno 30 August 2016 A M Swallow ULA ACES We intend to human rate Vulcan ACES Tweet Retrieved 30 August 2016 via Twitter United Launch Alliance Building Rocket of the Future with Industry Leading Strategic Partnerships United Launch Alliance 28 September 2018 Klotz Irene 17 April 2020 Economics of Rocket Reuse Still Up in the Air Aviation Week amp Space Technology Retrieved 17 August 2020 Ray Justin 14 April 2015 ULA chief explains reusability and innovation of new rocket Spaceflight Now Retrieved 30 September 2020 a b Clark Stephen 21 May 2021 United Launch Alliance nears first fueling test on Vulcan rocket Space Flight Now Retrieved 8 June 2021 Bruno Tory 10 October 2017 Building on a successful record in space to meet the challenges ahead SpaceNews a b Foust Jeff 11 September 2020 ULA studying long term upgrades to Vulcan SpaceNews Retrieved 30 September 2020 a b c Erwin Sandra 10 October 2018 Air Force awards launch vehicle development contracts to Blue Origin Northrop Grumman ULA SpaceNews Retrieved 28 July 2020 Host Pat 12 April 2016 Cooning Confident Air Force Will Invest In Vulcan Development Defense Daily Archived from the original on 22 April 2016 Retrieved 13 April 2016 Erwin Sandra 25 March 2018 Air Force stakes future on privately funded launch vehicles Will the gamble pay off SpaceNews Retrieved 24 June 2018 Howard Courtney 22 October 2018 ULA selects Blue Origin advanced booster engine for Vulcan Centaur rocket system SAE Retrieved 2 September 2020 Erwin Sandra 9 August 2020 Air Force to end agreements with Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman prepares for launch contract protests SpaceNews Retrieved 15 August 2020 Potter Sean 15 April 2021 NASA Adds Vulcan Centaur Launch Services to Launch Services Contract NASA Retrieved 7 July 2021 Foust Jeff 8 June 2023 Vulcan performs static fire test SpaceNews Retrieved 24 October 2023 a b Foust Jeff 8 January 2024 Vulcan Centaur launches Peregrine lunar lander on inaugural mission SpaceNews Retrieved 7 February 2024 Atlas V Launch Services User s Guide PDF United Launch Alliance March 2010 Archived from the original PDF on 14 May 2013 Retrieved 4 December 2011 Clark Stephen 6 November 2019 ULA begins stacking unique Atlas 5 rocket for Starliner test flight Spaceflight Now Retrieved 6 August 2020 Sheetz Michael 19 April 2021 Amazon signs with ULA for rockets to launch Jeff Bezos Kuiper internet satellites CNBC Retrieved 30 November 2021 Berger Eric 11 December 2018 Getting Vulcan up to speed Part one of our interview with Tory Bruno Ars Technica Retrieved 12 December 2018 Centaur 3 which flies on the Atlas V rocket is 3 8 meters in diameter The very first Centaur we fly on Vulcan will go straight to 5 4 meters in diameter Erwin Sandra 5 August 2019 Upcoming Atlas 5 mission will launch Air Force CubeSat before it releases main payload SpaceNews Retrieved 15 August 2020 Delta IV Heavy Demonstration Flight Mission Information PDF Boeing 6 June 2005 Archived from the original PDF on 6 October 2012 Delta IV Payload Planners Guide PDF United Launch Alliance September 2007 pp 1 7 Archived from the original PDF on 22 July 2011 Fact Sheet Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle U S Air Force Space Command 2 November 2010 Archived from the original on 27 April 2014 Mohon Lee 27 July 2017 Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Moves to Space Station Processing Facility NASA Retrieved 7 July 2021 Braeunig Robert A 2 November 2009 Space Launchers Delta Rocket and Space Technology Retrieved 26 January 2012 a b Bartels Meghan 13 September 2018 Meet the Delta Rocket Family of the United Launch Alliance Space com Retrieved 2 September 2020 a b Delta II concludes amazing legacy with ICESat 2 launch NASA Spaceflight 15 September 2018 Retrieved 16 September 2018 Leftover Delta 2 rocket to go on display at Kennedy Space Center Spaceflight Now Archived from the original on 29 January 2019 Retrieved 17 September 2018 Joy Rachel 23 March 2021 New rocket on display at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Florida Today Retrieved 23 March 2021 Delta IV Astronautix com Archived from the original on 19 August 2016 Retrieved 15 August 2020 Countdown 101 Delta IV NASA Retrieved 15 August 2020 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Grush Loren 22 August 2019 Watch as ULA launches the final flight of its Delta IV Medium rocket The Verge Retrieved 2 September 2020 Fuel Control Valve Faulted for Atlas Launch Anomaly Universe Today 30 April 2016 Retrieved 29 October 2020 Gebhardt Chris 22 August 2019 Delta IV Medium s well earned retirement with GPS finale NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 15 August 2020 Historical Snapshot Delta Rockets Boeing Retrieved 29 October 2020 United Launch Alliance set for takeoff Metro Denver EDC Archived from the original on 18 March 2008 Retrieved 10 October 2009 a b DoD Succeeds In Intercepting Non Functioning Satellite Press release U S Department of Defense 20 February 2008 Retrieved 9 October 2009 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Graham William Bergin Chris 18 September 2013 United Launch Alliance celebrate 75 launch milestone NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 6 June 2018 Bergin Chris 15 June 2015 TRMM spacecraft completes destructive re entry over South Indian Ocean NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Jones Sam 20 November 2015 Satellite wars Financial Times Archived from the original on 11 December 2022 Retrieved 26 July 2018 Morring Frank Jr 22 June 2007 NRO Shortfall May Delay Upcoming ULA Missions Aviation Week Archived from the original on 5 February 2012 Retrieved 3 March 2022 NRO L 30 Launch Update PDF National Reconnaissance Office 18 June 2007 Archived from the original PDF on 17 February 2013 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain a b c Graham William 5 May 2018 Atlas V launches first West Coast interplanetary mission with InSight spacecraft to Mars NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Launched by a Delta II rocket in August 2007 Phoenix touched down on Mars on 25 May 2008 Wall Mike 29 September 2017 Happy Anniversary Dawn Record Setting NASA Probe Marks 10 Years in Space Space com Retrieved 16 July 2018 NASA s Dawn spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket on 27 September 2007 a b c d e Graham William 18 March 2017 ULA Delta IV successfully launches WGS 9 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 a b c d Graham William 12 December 2014 Atlas V launches NROL 35 out of Vandenberg NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Shalal Esa Andrea 6 September 2008 GeoEye launches high resolution satellite Reuters Retrieved 16 July 2018 Graham William 17 August 2009 Last GPS IIR satellite launched on final SLC 17A Delta II NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 ULA Delta II launches on third attempt with NASA s NOAA N Prime NASA Spaceflight 4 February 2009 Retrieved 16 July 2018 A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket has launched with the NASA NOAA N Prime spacecraft at the third attempt to launch from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 02 22 a m PST following two scrubs due to technical issues a b Bergin Chris 18 November 2017 Delta II launches on penultimate mission with JPSS 1 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Graham William 14 December 2009 ULA Delta II successfully launches with WISE NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 LCROSS Impact Data Indicates Water on Moon NASA 13 November 2009 Retrieved 14 April 2020 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Graham William 27 June 2009 Delta IV launches with GOES O weather satellite NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 The launch of an United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket carrying the GOES O weather satellite for the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has launched on Saturday following Friday s scrub due to unacceptable weather Graham William 21 November 2010 Delta IV Heavy launches with NROL 32 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 The United Launch Alliance ULA Delta IV vehicle has launched the classified NROL 32 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office from Space Launch Complex 37B Cape Canaveral at 17 58 EST Graham William 14 April 2011 ULA Atlas V launches with NROL 34 payload NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Graham William 5 August 2011 ULA Atlas V launches NASA s Juno on a path to Jupiter NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance ULA have launched their Atlas V carrying NASA s Juno probe on its way to Jupiter on Friday Graham William 10 June 2011 ULA Delta II launches with the SAC D spacecraft NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 The United Launch Alliance ULA have launched their Delta II rocket to loft the SAC D spacecraft into orbit for the Argentine space agency CONAE on Friday Graham William 11 March 2011 Delta IV dodges upper level winds and launches with NROL 27 satellite NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 a b Graham William 24 May 2013 ULA Delta IV successfully lofts WGS 5 satellite NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Graham William 19 January 2012 ULA Delta IV successfully launches the fourth WGS spacecraft NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance have conducted the United States first orbital launch of the year on Thursday when their Delta IV launched with the fourth Wideband Global Satcom spacecraft Graham William 3 April 2012 ULA Delta IV launches the NROL 25 military satellite from VAFB NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 A new Delta IV configuration has made its first flight Tuesday carrying the NROL 25 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office Graham William 29 June 2012 Delta IV Heavy launches NROL 15 from Cape Canaveral NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 The United Launch Alliance ULA Delta IV rocket has made its twentieth launch Friday morning from Space Launch Complex 37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the classified NROL 15 payload for the United States National Reconnaissance Office Graham William 29 October 2014 ULA Atlas V successfully launches with GPS IIF 8 satellite NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Graham William 30 January 2013 ULA Altas V successfully launches with TDRS K NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Graham William 7 August 2013 ULA Delta IV launches with WGS 6 satellite NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance chief says he wants to develop a fleet of space trucks to ferry people between Earth and moon The Denver Post 7 April 2017 Retrieved 15 June 2018 Graham William 23 January 2014 ULA opens 2014 campaign with Atlas V launch of TDRS L NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance successfully conducted their first mission of 2014 Thursday evening with an Atlas V deploying NASA s latest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite TDRS L Graham William 13 August 2014 ULA Atlas V launches WorldView 3 satellite out of Vandenberg NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance ULA conducted a commercial Atlas V launch on Wednesday on behalf of Lockheed Martin orbiting DigitalGlobe s WorldView 3 imaging satellite WorldView 3 Satellite Will Upgrade Google s Earth Images NBC News 12 August 2014 Retrieved 16 July 2018 a b Wall Mike 2 October 2015 Dazzling Rocket Launch Marks 100th Liftoff for United Launch Alliance Space com Retrieved 12 July 2018 Kramer Miriam 31 January 2015 NASA Launches Satellite to Get the Dirt on Earth s Dirt Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Graham William 12 March 2015 MMS successfully launched by ULA s Atlas V NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 17 July 2018 Cofield Calla 13 March 2015 Spectacular Night Launch Sends NASA Satellites on Hunt for Magnetic Collisions Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Graham William 25 March 2015 ULA Delta IV successfully launches GPS IIF 9 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 17 July 2018 Wall Mike 26 March 2015 US Air Force Launches Advanced GPS Satellite into Orbit Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Wall Mike 20 May 2015 US Air Force Launches X 37B Space Plane on 4th Mystery Mission Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Gruss Mike 23 July 2015 Delta 4 Launches 7th WGS satellite SpaceNews Retrieved 17 July 2018 Dean James 2 September 2015 Atlas V delivers military satellite to orbit USA Today Retrieved 17 July 2018 Powers Scott 2 September 2015 Atlas V liftoff creates cloud of confusion Orlando Sentinel Retrieved 17 July 2018 Launch Photos NROL 55 Spy Satellite and Cubesats Blast Off Space com 8 October 2015 Retrieved 17 July 2018 Gruss Mike 2 November 2015 U S Air Force Launches 11th GPS 2F Satellite SpaceNews Retrieved 17 July 2018 Rocket carries US supplies to International Space Station BBC News 7 December 2015 Retrieved 17 July 2018 Lewin Sarah 6 December 2015 Cygnus Spaceship Launch Restarts Orbital ATK Cargo Missions for NASA Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Graham William 9 February 2016 ULA Delta IV launches with NROL 45 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 17 July 2018 Graham William 19 August 2016 ULA Delta IV successfully launches AFSPC 6 mission NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 17 July 2018 Ray Justin 24 March 2016 Atlas 5 rocket forced to improvise during Tuesday s climb to orbit SpaceFlight Now Retrieved 24 March 2016 United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches OSIRIS REx Spacecraft for NASA United Launch Alliance 8 September 2016 Retrieved 10 September 2016 Cofield Calla 24 June 2016 Military Satellite Launched Into Orbit by United Launch Alliance Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Gruss Mike 24 June 2016 Atlas 5 returns to flight with launch of Navy s MUOS 5 SpaceNews Retrieved 17 July 2018 Wall Mike 28 July 2016 New American Spy Satellite Launches on Secret Mission Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Gruss Mike 28 July 2016 Atlas 5 launches NRO mission from the Cape SpaceNews Retrieved 17 July 2018 Wall Mike 8 September 2016 Next Stop Bennu NASA Launches Bold Asteroid Sampling Mission Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Wall Mike 20 November 2016 Next generation weather satellite launches to begin forecasting revolution SpaceNews Retrieved 17 July 2018 a b Santana Marco 7 December 2016 Delta IV rocket carrying Air Force satellite launches from Cape Canaveral Orlando Sentinel Archived from the original on 11 December 2016 Retrieved 12 July 2018 Graham William 10 November 2016 Atlas V launches WorldView 4 out of Vandenberg NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 The United Launch Alliance ULA Atlas V rocket interrupted by a wildfire finally conducted a rare commercial launch on Friday tasked with orbiting the WorldView 4 Earth imaging satellite in a mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base California Graham William 7 December 2016 ULA Delta IV launches WGS 8 satellite NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance ULA has launched a Delta IV rocket on Wednesday evening carrying the eighth satellite in the U S Air Force s Wideband Global Satcom system Graham William 18 December 2016 Atlas V completes ULA s 2016 with EchoStar XIX launch NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance launched its last Atlas V rocket of 2016 Sunday deploying the EchoStar XIX commercial communications satellite for Hughes Netwebsite Systems Dean James 18 December 2016 Atlas V rocket launches EchoStar 19 satellite Florida Today Retrieved 17 July 2018 Harwood William 18 March 2017 Delta 4 rocket launches powerful military satellite CBS News Retrieved 17 July 2018 Harwood William 1 March 2017 Atlas 5 rocket launches secret military payload CBS News Retrieved 17 July 2018 Etherington Darrell 1 March 2017 United Launch Alliance successfully launches an Atlas V with U S reconnaissance satellite on board TechCrunch Retrieved 17 July 2018 Hardwood William 15 October 2017 Fifth time s the charm for Atlas rocket and NRO CBS News Retrieved 17 July 2018 Graham William 18 August 2017 ULA Atlas V launches TDRS M out of Cape Canaveral NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 Klotz Irene 18 April 2017 Atlas V Rocket Launches Private Cygnus Cargo Ship to Space Station Space com Retrieved 17 July 2018 Harwood William 18 November 2017 NASA launches powerful polar weather satellite CBS News Retrieved 16 July 2018 Graham William 19 January 2018 Atlas V launches with SBIRS GEO 4 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 16 July 2018 United Launch Alliance s Atlas V has launched on her seventy fifth flight lofting the SBIRS GEO 4 a missile early warning satellite Bartels Meghan 12 August 2018 Launch Photos NASA s Parker Solar Probe Blasts Off to Touch the Sun Space com Retrieved 13 May 2020 Clark Stephen 18 March 2015 Delta 4 Heavy selected for launch of solar probe Spaceflight Now Retrieved 18 March 2015 NASA Press Kit Parker Solar Probe PDF NASA Retrieved 15 August 2018 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches GPS III Satellite for U S Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center United Launch Alliance 22 August 2019 Wall Mike 18 December 2019 Boeing s 1st Starliner and Atlas V Rocket Arrive at Pad for Friday Launch Space com Retrieved 13 May 2020 Thompson Amy 10 February 2020 Solar Orbiter launches on historic mission to study the sun s poles Space com Retrieved 13 May 2020 Erwin Sandra 26 March 2020 ULA s Atlas 5 launches AEHF 6 communications satellite in its first mission for U S Space Force SpaceNews Retrieved 27 March 2020 Thompson Amy 26 March 2020 US launches advanced satellite in 1st Space Force national security mission Space com Retrieved 27 March 2020 Cross Theresa 17 May 2020 ULA Successfully Launches Atlas V X 37B Spaceplane Spaceflight Insider Retrieved 15 July 2020 Gebhardt Chris 29 July 2020 Perseverance Ingenuity begin seven month journey to Mars NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 31 July 2020 Graham William 13 November 2020 Atlas V successfully launches NROL 101 NASA Retrieved 22 November 2020 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Strout Nathan 29 March 2021 America s next missile warning satellite arrives in Florida C4ISR Retrieved 6 April 2021 United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches SBIRS GEO Flight 5 Mission in Support of National Security United Launch Alliance 18 May 2021 Retrieved 24 May 2021 United Launch Alliance ulalaunch 18 May 2021 MISSION SUCCESS United Launch Alliance s AtlasV deploys SBIRSGEO5 for the U S Space Force s Space and Missile Systems Center Tweet Retrieved 24 May 2021 via Twitter Warren Haygen 16 October 2021 NASA ULA launch historic Lucy mission NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 26 October 2021 Derek DK Knabenbauer Haygen Warren Chris Gebhardt and Stephen Marr 15 October 2021 Asteroid Hunter Lucy s Journey to the Trojan Asteroids NASA Spaceflight video Retrieved 26 October 2021 Graham William 29 August 2012 Atlas V launches at the third attempt with RBSP spacecraft NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 5 June 2018 Graham William 15 October 2017 Atlas V successfully launches with NROL 52 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 5 June 2018 Graham William 27 May 2010 Delta IV finally launches with GPS IIF SV 1 following scrubs NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 5 June 2018 Berger Eric 30 September 2020 Delta IV Heavy rocket delayed again raising concerns of aging infrastructure Ars Technica Retrieved 22 March 2021 Howell Elizabeth 9 April 2018 Atlas V Reliable Flexible Rocket Space com Retrieved 5 June 2018 Howell Elizabeth 21 September 2016 Vandenberg West Coast Launch Site Space com Retrieved 5 June 2018 Graham William 12 January 2018 ULA Delta IV successfully launches NROL 47 NASA Spaceflight Retrieved 5 June 2018 Clark Stephen 23 September 2002 Historic launch pad faces uncertain future after final West Coast Delta 4 mission Spaceflight Now Retrieved 25 June 2023 SPACE LAUNCH DELTA 30 TO LEASE SPACE LAUNCH COMPLEX 6 TO SPACE X Vandenberg Space Force Base Retrieved 24 April 2023 permanent dead link Foust Jeff 2 May 2018 Firefly Aerospace to take over Vandenberg Delta 2 pad SpaceNews Retrieved 22 November 2020 Dean James 31 December 2017 Southbound Cape rockets may fly new path toward poles Florida Today Retrieved 13 November 2018 Speck Emilee 30 September 2020 With weather improving ULA will try again to launch national security payload Graham Media Group Retrieved 30 September 2020 Avery Greg 5 April 2010 United Launch Alliance to stay in Centennial area at expanded HQ campus Denver Business Journal Retrieved 9 August 2018 Clines Keith 26 February 2017 ULA rocket plant a boost to Decatur s image The Decatur Daily Retrieved 13 November 2018 Kelley Rick 14 April 2017 ULA to cut workforce by 875 workers Valley Morning Star Retrieved 13 November 2018 permanent dead link Wallace Alicia 24 July 2015 Pueblo lands United Launch Alliance rocket R amp D operation The Denver Post Retrieved 13 November 2018 a b Construction milestone achieved for Vulcan s launch platform United Launch Alliance 24 October 2019 Retrieved 28 March 2020 ToryBruno 6 August 2019 Mighty Atlas is not the only thing rolling at the Cape today Check the new Vulcan MLP arrival Tweet via Twitter External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to United Launch Alliance Official website Kutter Bernard Monda Eric Wenner Chauncey amp Rhys Noah August 2015 Distributed Launch Enabling Beyond LEO Missions PDF AIAA SPACE 2015 Conference and Exposition doi 10 2514 6 2015 4593 ISBN 978 1 62410 334 6 via United Launch Alliance Ragab Mohamed M Cheatwood F McNeil Hughes Stephen J amp Lowry Allen August 2015 Launch Vehicle Recovery and Reuse PDF AIAA SPACE 2015 Conference and Exposition doi 10 2514 6 2015 4490 ISBN 978 1 62410 334 6 S2CID 111429510 via United Launch Alliance Free CubeSat rideshares offered by ULA for Atlas V launches NASA Spaceflight November 2015 Boeing Lockheed Martin to Form Launch Services Joint Venture SpaceRef 2 May 2005 Archived from the original on 9 December 2012 Retrieved 8 July 2006 FTC gives preliminary clearance to United Launch Alliance Spaceflight Now 3 October 2006 United Launch Alliance begins Operations Space Travel 4 December 2006 Archived from the original on 27 September 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title United Launch Alliance amp oldid 1208339130, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.