United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched its new Vulcan Centaur rocket on its second test flight, dubbed Cert-2, on October 4, 2024. The mission, essential for certifying the vehicle for U.S. national security payloads, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT).
Mission Overview
The Cert-2 flight was primarily designed to demonstrate the rocket’s capabilities and reliability following its successful maiden voyage in January 2024. ULA CEO Tory Bruno emphasized that the mission’s main objective was “to go fly a second time and have another success”.
Originally planned to carry Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane, the payload was replaced with a mass simulator and additional instrumentation due to delays in the Dream Chaser program. This change allowed ULA to proceed with the critical certification flight on schedule.
Launch and Flight Details
The Vulcan Centaur launched in the VC2S configuration, featuring two solid rocket boosters (SRBs) from Northrop Grumman and a standard payload fairing. The rocket’s first stage is powered by two BE-4 engines, each producing 550,000 lbf of sea-level thrust, while each SRB contributes an additional 459,600 lbf of thrust at lift-off.
Key events during the flight included:
- Liftoff at 7:25 a.m. EDT after a brief delay
- Jettisoning of solid rocket boosters approximately two minutes after launch
- Stage separation
- Two successful burns of the Centaur V upper stage
Solid Rocket Booster Anomaly
Despite the overall success of the mission, an anomaly was observed with one of the solid rocket boosters. Approximately 35 seconds after liftoff, material appeared to come off one of the boosters, and its plume changed appearance, suggesting possible damage to the SRB’s nozzle.
ULA did not immediately address the incident during the ascent, but subsequent mission events were delayed by up to 20 seconds compared to the pre-launch timeline. The separation of the two GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters occurred nearly 30 seconds later than initially planned.
Tory Bruno acknowledged the issue after the completion of the second Centaur burn, stating, “We did have an observation on SRB number one, and so we will be off looking into that after the mission is complete”. He added that apart from this anomaly, the flight was nominal.
Implications for Certification
The SRB anomaly could potentially impact the certification process for national security missions. Prior to the launch, Bruno expressed confidence in achieving certification based on the clean performance of the Cert-1 mission in January. However, the investigation into the SRB issue may delay the certification timeline.
ULA plans to complete the certification process within weeks, allowing for two planned national security missions (USSF-106 and USSF-87) before the end of 2024. The company will need to work closely with the U.S. Space Force to review the flight data and address any concerns arising from the SRB anomaly.
Future Outlook
Despite the minor setback, ULA remains optimistic about Vulcan Centaur’s future. The company plans to launch two more Vulcan missions in 2024, followed by an ambitious schedule of up to 20 launches in 2025, split between Vulcan and the outgoing Atlas V.
The Vulcan Centaur is set to play a key role in ULA’s future, with a backlog of 25 National Security Space Launch missions, 38 launches for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and six flights for Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser. As ULA transitions away from the Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, the success and reliability of the Vulcan Centaur will be paramount for the company’s competitiveness in the launch market.
While the Cert-2 mission achieved its primary objectives, the SRB anomaly serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges inherent in spaceflight. ULA’s thorough investigation and resolution of this issue will be necessary for maintaining confidence in the Vulcan Centaur and securing its role in future national security and commercial launches.
