U.S. Space Force Certifies ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Rocket for National Security Missions

The long-delayed certification marks a critical milestone, enabling Vulcan Centaur to join SpaceX in supporting national security space launches.

The U.S. Space Force certified United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket on March 26, 2025, after rigorous reviews and two demonstration flights.
Certification was delayed by major setbacks, including a 2023 engine explosion and a nozzle failure during the second test flight in October 2024.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket is now eligible to conduct missions under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, enhancing U.S. launch capacity and flexibility.
ULA plans its first national security launch with Vulcan Centaur for summer 2025 and is targeting a launch cadence of two missions per month by the end of the year.
The certification allows ULA to compete for future NSSL Phase 3 contracts, where it faces competition from SpaceX and potentially Blue Origin.