ULA's Vulcan Centaur Rocket Certified for National Security Missions

The U.S. Space Force's certification ends years of delays, positioning the rocket to compete with SpaceX in critical defense launches.

The Vulcan Centaur rocket, developed by United Launch Alliance, has been certified by the U.S. Space Force for national security missions after completing its rigorous certification process.
The certification follows two test flights in 2024, with the second flight delayed by a nozzle failure on a solid rocket booster, which has since been resolved through corrective measures.
The rocket is designed to replace ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, aiming to rival SpaceX's Falcon 9 in performance and cost for national security launches.
ULA plans to conduct its first Vulcan national security launch in summer 2025 and achieve a launch cadence of two missions per month by the end of the year, addressing a backlog of 24 missions.
This certification makes ULA the second fully certified U.S. launch provider for national security missions, enhancing competition in the defense space sector.