ULA – Page 3 – Spaceflight Now

Atlas 5 valve repair will delay Starliner’s first crewed mission to May 17 at the earliest

May 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is set to roll its Atlas 5 rocket and the Starliner spacecraft back to the Vertical Integration Facility on Wednesday to begin working on the problematic valve. The new launch date is no earlier than Friday, May 17, at 6:16 p.m. EDT (2016 UTC).

NASA astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center ahead of Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test

April 25, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the Cape in T-38 jets, the first such arrival since the space shuttle era. The mission is aiming to launch on Monday, May 6, at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 UTC).

Boeing, ULA roll Starliner spacecraft out to pad 41 ahead of Crew Flight Test launch in May

April 16, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The rollout operation on Tuesday followed a day of evaluations using Boeing’s weight and center-of-gravity machine to determine the final measurements on the spacecraft. Launch is still targeting May 6 at 10:34 p.m. EDT (0234 UTC).

ULA concludes six decades of Delta rocket flights with final Delta 4 Heavy mission

April 9, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The issue with a gaseous nitrogen pipeline that caused the late March launch scrub was able to be resolved, according to NASA and its contractor, Air Liquide. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 37 occurred at 12:53 p.m. EDT (1653 UTC).

High winds, gaseous nitrogen pump failure force scrub of the final launch of Delta 4 Heavy minutes before liftoff

March 28, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The 16th and last launch of the Delta 4 Heavy configuration also marks the end of Delta line of launch vehicles. NROL-70 with be the 389th Delta launch since 1960 and 45th Delta 4 rocket.

‘Cleanest first flight,’ ULA president reflects on inaugural Vulcan launch and future of program

February 12, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno described the first flight of the Vulcan launch as remarkable in his career. He said hardware for Vulcan’s next flight will head down to Florida soon.

ULA marks success with the inaugural mission of its Vulcan rocket launching a Moon-bound robotic lander

January 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch of the methalox fueled rocket marks the beginning of a new chapter for the launch company. The mission launched the first American-made lunar lander in more than 50 years.

ULA says its Vulcan rocket is finally ready to fly

January 6, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Nearly a decade of planning, designing, assembly and testing for United Launch Alliance (ULA) is about to culminate in the first launch of its Vulcan rocket. The maiden flight of the launch vehicle is set for Monday, Jan. 8, at 2:18 am EST (0718 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

ULA stacks Vulcan rocket for the first time ahead of Jan. 8 debut launch

December 21, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

The fully-integrated Vulcan rocket stands 202 feet (61.6 meters) tall. ULA is aiming to launch the rocket and its payload, Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander, on Jan. 8, 2024 at 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 UTC).

ULA’s first mission with its Vulcan rocket slides to January launch window

December 10, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

The debut of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket is slipping from late December into early January, according to the company’s president and CEO, Tory Bruno. In a social media post on Sunday, Bruno said the planned Dec. 24 launch date was no longer a viable option.