United Launch Alliance (ULA) has successfully completed 100 national security missions. This milestone was reached with the recent launch of the Atlas 5 rocket on July 30, 2024.
More topics for you.This topic continues below.
Google unveils breakthrough Quantum chip that defies limits
The mission, designated USSF-51, was a classified U.S. Space Force operation that lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 6:45 a.m. Eastern Time. This launch marked ULA’s 100th national security mission and the last one for the Atlas 5 rocket, which has been a reliable workhorse for nearly two decades.
The Atlas 5 rocket carried a classified payload to geostationary Earth orbit, and the mission was notable for its use of a single-engine Centaur upper stage and five strap-on solid boosters. The core stage was powered by a Russian-made RD-180 engine. Following this mission, ULA will transition to using the new Vulcan Centaur rocket for future national security launches.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket is United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle, designed to replace the Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. It features a two-stage-to-orbit design, with the first stage powered by two BE-4 engines from Blue Origin, which use liquid oxygen and liquid methane as propellants. This choice of propellant is cleaner and more efficient compared to the kerosene used in the Atlas V.
The second stage, known as Centaur V, is powered by two RL10 engines and uses liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The Vulcan Centaur is capable of carrying a variety of payloads to different orbits, including geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), low Earth orbit (LEO), and even trans-lunar injection (TLI) for missions beyond Earth.
One of the key advantages of the Vulcan Centaur is its modular design, allowing it to be configured with zero, two, four, or six solid rocket boosters to meet specific mission requirements. This flexibility, combined with its advanced technology, makes it a versatile and cost-effective option for both national security and commercial launches.
