Back فولكان سنتور Arabic Vulcan Centaur BE-X-OLD Vulcan (raketa) Czech Vulcan (Rakete) German Vulcan (cohete) Spanish Vulcan Centaur Estonian ولکان قنطورس Persian Vulcan (raketti) Finnish Vulcan (fusée) French וולקן קנטאור HE
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_(cropped).jpg) Vulcan Centaur in VC2S configuration ahead of its maiden flight | |
| Function | Heavy-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | United Launch Alliance |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Cost per launch | About US$100–200 million[1][2] |
| Size | |
| Height | 61.6–67.3 m (202–221 ft)[3] |
| Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft)[4] |
| Mass | 546,700 kg (1,205,300 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO (28.7°) | |
| Mass | 27,200 kg (60,000 lb)[5] |
| Payload to GTO (27.0°) | |
| Mass | 15,300 kg (33,700 lb)[5] |
| Payload to GEO | |
| Mass | 7,000 kg (15,000 lb)[5] |
| Payload to TLI | |
| Mass | 12,100 kg (26,700 lb)[5] |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Operational |
| Launch sites | |
| Total launches | 1 |
| Success(es) | 1 |
| First flight | 8 January 2024[7] |
| Boosters – GEM-63XL | |
| No. boosters | 0, 2, 4, or 6[8] |
| Height | 22.0 m (865 in) |
| Diameter | 1.62 m (63.7 in) |
| Empty mass | 4,521 kg (9,966 lb) |
| Gross mass | 53,030 kg (116,920 lb) |
| Propellant mass | 47,853 kg (105,497 lb) |
| Maximum thrust | 2,061 kN (463,249 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 280.3 s (2.749 km/s) |
| Burn time | 87.3 seconds |
| Propellant | AP / HTPB / Al |
| First stage – Vulcan | |
| Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Powered by | 2 × BE-4 |
| Maximum thrust | 4,900 kN (1,100,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | CH4 / LOX |
| Second stage – Centaur V | |
| Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Powered by | 2 × RL10[9] |
| Maximum thrust | 212 kN (48,000 lbf)[10] |
| Specific impulse | 453.8 s (4.450 km/s)[10] |
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
Vulcan Centaur is a heavy-lift launch vehicle created and operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA). It is a two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle consisting of the Vulcan first stage and the Centaur second stage. It replaces ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. It is principally designed for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, which launches satellites for U.S. intelligence agencies and the Defense Department, but will also be used for commercial launches.
Development of the Vulcan rocket started in 2014, largely to compete with SpaceX's cheaper, partially reusable rockets and to comply with a Congressional requirement to stop using the Russian-made RD-180 engine that powers the Atlas V. The first flight of the Vulcan Centaur was initially slated for 2019, but was delayed multiple times by developmental problems with its BE-4 engine and the Centaur upper stage.[11] Vulcan Centaur launched for the first time on 8 January 2024 carrying Astrobotic Technology's Peregrine lunar lander, the first mission of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.[12]
- ^ Clark, Stephen. "ULA needs commercial customers to close Vulcan rocket business case". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ^ Shalal, Andrea; Klotz, Irene (13 April 2015). "'Vulcan' rocket launch in 2019 may end U.S. dependence on Russia". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
- ^ "Vulcan Centaur Cutaway Poster" (PDF). United Launch Alliance. November 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ Peller, Mark. "United Launch Alliance" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Vulcan". United Launch Alliance. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (12 October 2015). "ULA selects launch pads for new Vulcan rocket". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 14 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- ^ Robinson-Smith, Will (21 December 2023). "ULA stacks Vulcan rocket for the first time ahead of Jan. 8 debut launch". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
brunojul1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "United Launch Alliance Selects Aerojet Rocketdyne's RL10 Engine". ULA. 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 Propulsion System" (PDF). Aerojet Rocketdyne. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ Eric Berger (5 January 2024). "As Vulcan nears debut, it's not clear whether ULA will live long and prosper". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ Jeff Foust (8 January 2024). "Vulcan Centaur launches Peregrine lunar lander on inaugural mission". Spacenews. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.