United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Next Generation Launch System (NGLS)

[Hydroman]

Dreamchaser rides in a shroud, so no special adaptor needed beyond the usual to adapt any payload to the shroud.

Is the adapter vulcanized rubber?

 

[Flyaway]

The second Vulcan launch which will be the cert 2 flight is now set to launch on the 16th September.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1816134216385499140

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1816134216385499140

A line of #VulcanRocket boosters in final assembly. All destined for upcoming National Security missions. Decatur is becoming a juggernaut…

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1816865676713202055

View: https://x.com/northropgrumman/status/1816865676713202055

US Space Force's Space Systems Command completes final Atlas V launch

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 30, 2024 - The U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have successfully launched the USSF-51 mission on an Atlas V 551 rocket. Liftoff occurred today at 6:45 a.m. EDT (

www.spacewar.com

 

[Forest Green]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1817269564205384051

View: https://x.com/northropgrumman/status/1817269564205384051

 

[Flyaway]

"The mission will explore the operational limits of Vulcan" - interesting! The ULA link doesn't really expand on that.

Mostly on the Centaur V side @torybruno?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1822394450527789244

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1822394450527789244

The will be some maneuvers that help us more fully characterize Centaur

What will the test payload be?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1822399435038679101

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1822399435038679101

Inert steel plus some very interesting CV tech experiments

CV= Centaur V.

 

[Flyaway]

After Tory confirmed there are 2 SRBs for this mission:

Is there a reason for that? Since this one is flying a mass simulator, would it be a good idea to have it fly on a 0 booster configuration, with a lighter dummy payload, in order to save the GEMs for another launch?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1822406830221562237

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1822406830221562237

Partly because we could start with the CERT1 trajectory and add to that. This same time and allowed us to give DreamChaser just a little more time before switching

 

[aonestudio]

The Pentagon’s Top Rocket Launcher Is Behind Profit Goals and Losing Staff

For over a decade, United Launch Alliance had an absolute monopoly. If the Pentagon wanted to send a spy satellite to space, the Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. venture was its only choice.

www.bnnbloomberg.ca

 

[sferrin]

The Pentagon’s Top Rocket Launcher Is Behind Profit Goals and Losing Staff

For over a decade, United Launch Alliance had an absolute monopoly. If the Pentagon wanted to send a spy satellite to space, the Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. venture was its only choice.

www.bnnbloomberg.ca

To the astonishment of absolutely nobody.

 

[WatcherZero]

Sierra has entered negotiations to buy ULA.

Exclusive-Boeing, Lockheed Martin in talks to sell rocket-launch firm ULA to Sierra Space

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Boeing and Lockheed Martin are in talks to sell their rocket-launching joint venture United Launch Alliance to Sierra Space, two people familiar with the discussions said. A deal could value ULA at around $2 billion to $3 billion, the sources said. A deal to sell ULA, a...

finance.yahoo.com

 

[aonestudio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1825171526435446960

View: https://x.com/torybruno/status/1825171526435446960

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831423975630782663

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1831423975630782663

Judging by the fog,… I’d have to say this is Vandenberg SLC3 receiving a brand new 70k gallon (265k liter) liquid hydrogen tank for #VulcanRocket’s Centaur V. Together with the Atlas tank, the pad capacity has more than tripled to 100k gallons.

You mentioned activating the pad early next year. Will we see a Vulcan shipped out to Vandenberg earlier in the year to do fit checks/pad checkouts well in advance of the first west coast flight?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831646744142037064

View: https://x.com/torybruno/status/1831646744142037064

Yes

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828204893988913212

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1828204893988913212

Since you guys liked the still so much, here’s a short video. #VulcanRocket

 

[Flyaway]

Hi Tory why is the CERT-2 launch delayed to October? If everything is ready why is it slipping for a month? Thank you

https://twitter.com/x/status/1835632681503367428

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1835632681503367428

We wanted to put several technology experiments on board. Took a few extra days

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1837517035716084194

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1837517035716084194

Up she goes! Thought you might enjoy a #ToryTimeLapse of the encapsulated #Cert2 going atop #VulcanRocket

https://twitter.com/x/status/1837547596291739816

View: https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1837547596291739816

The second United Launch Alliance #VulcanRocket stands fully assembled for launch NET Oct. 4 on #Cert2 to fulfill flight test obligations and complete its certification process with the U.S. Space Force to carry national security payloads starting later this year.

Learn more in our blog:

Cert-2: Vulcan rocket readied for second flight test

The second United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket stands fully assembled for launch no earlier than Oct. 4 to fulfill flight test obligations and complete its certification process with the U.S. Space Force to carry national security payloads starting later this year.

blog.ulalaunch.com

 

[Flyaway]

The Second Vulcan Launch: From Factory to Launch

Sep 24, 2024
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan VC2S rocket will launch the second certification (Cert-2) mission from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The Cert-2 mission includes an inert payload and demonstrations associated with future Centaur V technologies. This is the second of two test flights required for ULA's certification process with the U.S. Space Force.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EMCGyhNVwM

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1839301662814753086

View: https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1839301662814753086

#Cert2 // Mission Profile

We are counting down to the first opportunity to launch #VulcanRocket on its #Cert2 flight test! Watch a preview video of what you can expect during the high-energy mission that will leave Earth orbit.

Watch on YouTube:

View: https://youtu.be/mYKl79UGKu8

 

[Flyaway]

Hey Tory, I will be attending the launch on Friday. I understand that the window is from 6 am to 9 am. How long before launch will we have a targeted launch time?

Will their be a live stream?

Thanks for all you do.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1841582580530864447

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1841582580530864447

Now: The targeted time is 6am (local). If there is lightning, a glitching instrument, or a stuck valve, etc, we can take time to sort that out and still launch as late as 9am.

Yes

https://twitter.com/x/status/1841582548855751036

View: https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1841582548855751036

Team Blue is looking forward to @ulalaunch’s Vulcan #Cert2 launch powered by two of our #BE4 engines! Each engine will produce 550,000 pounds of thrust. #PoweredByBE4

 

[Flyaway]

ULA photos

https://flic.kr/p/2qk2eGj

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qk2eGj

https://flic.kr/p/2qk6DtP

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qk6DtP

https://flic.kr/p/2qk2dYf

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qk2dYf

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1841816226000937185

View: https://twitter.com/ulalaunch/status/1841816226000937185

#Cert2 // ToryTalk

Learn from @ToryBruno what tomorrow’s #VulcanRocket launch is all about.

 

[Forest Green]

Space Ops: Vulcan At The Pad | Aviation Week Network

ULA is preparing for the second flight of its new Vulcan-Centaur rocket, a mission needed to complete certification ahead of service for the U.S. military.

aviationweek.com

 

[Michel Van]

The Second flight of Vulcan hat little hickup
One of SRB lost it nozzle during ascent !
Vulcan just going on into space...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842169172932886538

View: https://publish.twitter.com/?url=https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1842169172932886538

 

[Flyaway]

Vulcan Cert-2 launch:

View: https://youtu.be/n6C0yzWuTWk?si=jQ0EPRJYX0Iyps4q

 

[Michel Van]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842173022792299003

View: https://twitter.com/dwisecinema/status/1842173022792299003

 

[Michel Van]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842167485707034903

View: https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/1842167485707034903

 

[martinbayer]

The Second flight of Vulcan hat little hickup
One of SRB lost it nozzle during ascent !
Vulcan just going on into space...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842169172932886538

View: https://publish.twitter.com/?url=https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1842169172932886538

Solids...

 

[Flyaway]

ULA launches second Vulcan flight, encounters strap-on booster anomaly

One of two solid-propellant strap-on boosters provided by Northrop Grumman suffered an anomaly of some sort during the climb out of the lower atmosphere, but the Vulcan managed to continue on into orbit. What impact the issue might have on the Vulcan’s certification is not yet known, but ULA CEO Tory Bruno said it will be investigated.

“The trajectory was nominal throughout,” he said on the company’s launch webcast. “We did, however have an observation on SRB No. 1, so we will be off looking at that after the mission is complete.” No other details were provided.

 

[Michel Van]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIHg-PPUZnk

 

[Forest Green]

United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan flies second certification mission

If the Space Force deems it a clean mission, the rocket could be certified to fly national security satellites in the coming weeks.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Flyaway]

I cannot help feeling the fact that the F9 doesn’t rely on SRBs is a distinct advantage.

On the positive side the BE-4s performed well again.

 

[Flyaway]

@torybruno Do you have any info on the SRB anomaly that occurred at the start of the flight? Also Vulcan handled the asymmetric thrust so well, that was impressive! And an orbital bullseye!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842238190826164407

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842238190826164407

Yes

Nozzle anomaly on SRM-1. Reduced and asymmetric thrust.

Rocket compensated, as designed.

Nominal trajectory. Bullseye insertion

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842239927641129294

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842239927641129294

No energetic events occurred.

Also, did you notice that the Centaur had to burn a full 20 seconds longer than normal to get its tiny mass simulator into orbit? I'd guess that translates to a failure to get a payload that's anywhere near the Vulcan's true payload capability anywhere near orbital speed today.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842240181262303533

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842240181262303533

No. Standard reserves were adequate. Margins were not used

It has to have had a huge overcapacity for the core stage to be able to compensate for the thrust asymmetry after losing the nozzle. No way it could have achieved orbit with a full payload.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842238611049103784

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842238611049103784

Incorrect

 

[TheKutKu]

I cannot help feeling the fact that the F9 doesn’t rely on SRBs is a distinct advantage.

On the positive side the BE-4s performed well again.

Good SRBs can be extremely reliable.
I quickly made the count, the last in-flight propulsive failure of a French or French designed/supervised (so excluding Avio-designed Vega upper stage) large SRB (Orbital launcher or Large Ballistic missile) is from... 1977! That's more than 300 launches using at least 700 SRBs, none of the failure were caused by SRBs.

Anyway, back on topic, the FAA considers that no mishap investigation is required. (However i'm hearing rumours it's not entirely decided, but take the official word for it for now)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842299962979410425

View: https://x.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/1842299962979410425


For those asking about the criterias, here they are:

Federal Register :: Request Access

401.5 governs all non Part 450 launch licenses (Vulcan is non-Part 450)
401.7 is the definition set for Part 450 that everyone will need to move to (Falcon 9 is under it, for exemple)

 

[Flyaway]

Whatever happens I’m guessing that they can fly it in the basic configuration without any SRB’s attached to it.

 

[FighterJock]

That is until they can sort the problem out then launch Vulcan in full configuration.

 

[TomcatViP]

Interesting that the SRB has now proved to be the one with the lowest reliability level.

 

[Flyaway]

Glad to hear Tory! How much margin was there, with this being an inert payload?

If it would have been a heavier bird, would the same accuracy and precision still have been possible?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842241652557037832

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842241652557037832

Yes

Sorry about the confusing terms on art.

All missions have propellant reserves

We add to that additional propellant margins based on the mass & the configuration of the rocket

Because this was compensated for within reserves, this anomaly was “invisible” to the rocket

And a fair bit of luck that the SRB burn-through wasn't toward the main stage...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842242289319494146

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842242289319494146

Not a burn though

Looks pretty energetic

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842242693444878775

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842242693444878775

Yes, it looks dramatic, like all things on a rocket. But, it’s Just the release of the nozzle. No explosions occurred

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842243739214913737

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842243739214913737

Nozzle anomaly. Case and grain fine. Reduced, asymmetric thrust. Compensated for by booster

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842243903476678736

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1842243903476678736

Again, not a case burn through.

 

[Flyaway]

Impressive video of the launch:

View: https://youtu.be/-ddzI2eMcb4

 

[Michel Van]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1842549126732406878

View: https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/1842549126732406878

 

[publiusr]

I was wading through the comment section on Scott Manley's page--I thought I saw something about John Carmack having a program which helped out on this--any details?

 

[Flyaway]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843379189803839678

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1843379189803839678

As promised, here's a clip from one the new camera angles freshly cleared through ITAR.

string for extra drag?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843381216667677066

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1843381216667677066

A long, low release force harness that continues to collect data from the fairing after it has separated from the rocket. (this is the 51 foot fairing, for scale)

@torybruno what induces the oscillation seen in the fairing?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1843383300595105797

View: https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1843383300595105797

Forces from the separation system

 

[TMA1]

Seeing those be4 rockets clearly articulating towards the side of the damaged booster is very impressive stuff. They seem to be quite capable along with the flight systems.

Edit: added words