The US Space Force has certified the new Valcon Sentor Rocket of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) to launch the National Security Mission.
This news, which was declared by Space Force on Wednesday (March 26), doubled the number of National Security Space Launch (NSSL) providers. Ula is included in this select group Spacex.
“Space in space is one of the main function of space force and is an important element of national security,” Brigade. General Christin Panagenhane, Executive Officer of the Space Force program accessed in space, said in an email statement on Wednesday. “The vulcan certification adds the launch capacity, flexibility and flexibility required by our country’s most important space-based systems.”
Ula has been working from 2016 to certify Vulcan Centaur for NSSL missions, when the company signed an agreement with the US Air Force for this effect.
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The Vulcan was still in the stage of development at that time; It was the future Ula’s powerful workheors rocket, imagining the replacement for the company’s respected Atlas V rocket.
Atlas V, which started in 2002, launched several national security for the US government over the years; It flew its final NSSL mission in July last July and is expected to retire after this decade.
Vulcan successfully sent private paragrin moon lander Aloft in January 2024. ,
The new rocket was re -launched last October, on a test flight that did not take any customer payload. Vulcan achieved its major objectives on that mission, as well as according to the ULA, despite facing a problem – one of its two solid rocket boosters on an engine nozzle failure.
This failure was caused by a manufacturing defect, which has now been addressed, ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno Told reporters earlier this month,
The space force is satisfied with the clearly performed corrective functions and with the vulcan Centaur’s possibilities ahead, because it has given the rocket green light to carry the national security payload.
Military officials said the process was a long and rigid.
“Certification of Vulcan is the culmination of many years of efforts by space force and ULA, including 52 certification criteria, including more than 180 untrue work, two certification flight performance, 60 payload interface verification, 18 subcutstum design and test reviews, and 114 hardware and software audits include the same statement.
Bruno said in a statement, “We are proud to launch 100 National Security Space Mission and have been honored for continuing the service of the nation with our new vulcan rocket.” “We thank the space force for their cooperation and confidence, and we are honored for supporting our national security needs for many years to come.”
