United Launch Alliance is preparing its Vulcan Centaur rocket for a major national security mission from Cape Canaveral, a flight that will test whether this new workhorse can deliver for the U.S. Space Force on its most sensitive jobs. The vehicle was built to carry heavy military payloads to high orbits, and its next outing is expected to send national security spacecraft toward geosynchronous orbit. As Vulcan moves toward this high‑stakes launch, it is worth asking what exactly this rocket is, how it is built, and why so much rides on its performance.
Vulcan is not just another big booster on the Florida coast. It is the centerpiece of ULA’s plan to stay competitive at a time when cheaper and more flexible launch options, especially from SpaceX, are reshaping the market. The rocket’s mix of new engines, a powerful Centaur V upper stage, and flexible solid boosters is meant to give the Pentagon a U.S.‑built alternative for missions that demand both precise performance and political reliability.
How Vulcan Centaur came together
Vulcan Centaur is a heavy‑lift launch vehicle developed and operated by United Launch Alliance, the joint venture that has long flown Atlas V and Delta IV for the U.S. government. ULA began development of Vulcan Centaur in 2014, a long lead time that reflects both the technical leap from its earlier rockets and the political pressure to move away from foreign hardware, according to a detailed program history. The rocket was created to meet the needs of the U.S. Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program, giving national security customers a new option that could eventually replace older fleets while staying compatible with strict mission rules.
The design is also aimed squarely at the National Security Space Launch program, where ULA wants Vulcan to compete for missions starting in March 2025. That competition is not just about price; it is also about schedule assurance and the ability to tailor each flight to a specific satellite’s needs. In that sense, Vulcan is ULA’s answer to a launch market where the Pentagon expects commercial‑style responsiveness but still demands the reliability it associates with legacy systems. That tension has shaped how the rocket has been engineered and tested, from its methane‑fueled engines to its upgraded upper stage.
Size, engines and flexible boosters
On the pad, Vulcan is hard to miss. The rocket stands at 202 feet tall when fully stacked, putting it in the same visual class as other heavy lifters that handle large military and intelligence payloads. At liftoff it weighs 1.74 million pounds, a mass that reflects both its large propellant load and the sturdy structure needed for high‑energy missions, figures that match a public configuration overview. Those numbers put it closer to a full‑size pickup than a compact car in spaceflight terms, which matters for national security customers that often want to pack multiple spacecraft or extra fuel into a single shot to orbit.
The core stage is powered by BE‑4 engines, which burn liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen. This choice is a break from the kerosene and hydrogen combinations that defined many earlier U.S. rockets and is meant to balance performance with cost and future reusability potential. The Vulcan configuration is enabled by the Centaur V upper stage, which provides the high‑energy push needed to reach orbits like geosynchronous transfer and beyond. Together, the main engines and Centaur V give Vulcan the ability to lift heavy satellites and then precisely shape their final orbits, a key requirement for missions that must reach geosynchronous or even higher paths.
Customizable power for national security
One of Vulcan’s most important features is its flexible use of solid rocket boosters. The rocket is designed to fly with anywhere from zero to six solid rocket boosters attached to the core, which lets mission planners dial in extra thrust for heavier payloads or higher orbits. That modular approach means a lighter intelligence satellite headed to low Earth orbit might fly without any solids, while a large surveillance platform bound for a higher path could ride with the full set. It is similar to choosing between eco and sport modes in a car, except here the stakes involve multi‑billion‑dollar spacecraft.
This flexibility is especially relevant for the U.S. Space Force. The Vulcan rocket was designed primarily for the US Space Force, with an eye toward carrying U.S. spy satellites and other sensitive hardware. That focus shows up not only in the booster options but also in the way the upper stage is optimized for long missions and multiple burns. According to one technical summary, the Vulcan rocket’s BE‑4 engines and overall design support a launch cost around $62 million per flight, a figure that aims to keep it competitive with commercial rivals while still meeting strict security requirements for Space Force missions.
USSF‑87 and the “neighborhood watch” role
The next big test for Vulcan is the mission known as USSF‑87. A Vulcan Centaur rocket will deliver national security spacecraft directly to geosynchronous orbit for the U.S. Space Force, according to the official mission description. That flight, identified as Vulcan USSF‑87, is scheduled for launch around February 10, 2026, although other public schedules place the liftoff slightly later, which reflects how often national security launches shift within a multi‑day window. The key point is that this mission is designed to go all the way to geosynchronous orbit, not just a transfer path, which demands precise performance from the Centaur V upper stage and tight coordination with the Space Force’s ground teams.
Public descriptions of USSF‑87 say the Vulcan Centaur rocket will launch “neighborhood watch” satellites for the U.S. military early on February 12, 2026, language that hints at spacecraft designed to monitor other objects in geosynchronous orbit. Those satellites are likely to keep an eye on potential threats to U.S. assets, such as unannounced maneuvers or close approaches by foreign spacecraft, roles described in coverage of the planned space surveillance payloads. One earlier Vulcan mission carried the Peregrine lunar lander, and that Peregrine mission suffered an anomaly shortly after deployment and crashed back to Earth, even though the launch itself went as planned. That history raises the stakes for USSF‑87, since the Space Force will be watching to see whether Vulcan can deliver sensitive payloads cleanly to orbit after that mixed outcome.
First national security flights and timing disputes
Vulcan’s history with national security work is already a bit tangled. One account states that ULA launched the Vulcan rocket on its first Space Force mission on August 13, 2025, on a flight from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, describing how the booster climbed away and the first stage shut down nearly two minutes before separating, as noted in a detailed launch report. Another report says ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket launched its first national security mission on August 12, 2025, describing a liftoff that carried a classified payload to orbit and emphasizing the vehicle’s role in the National Security Space Launch program, according to separate industry coverage. The difference between August 12 and August 13 may reflect time zone reporting or a distinction between liftoff time and when the mission was publicly confirmed, but it shows how even basic details can vary between sources that are both close to the program.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
