List of Vulcan launches

This is a list of launches made by the Vulcan Centaur rocket since its maiden launch on 8 January 2024.

Notable missions

Peregrine Mission One

Launch of the Peregrine on Vulcan Centaur's first flight

Main article: Peregrine Mission One

Peregrine Mission One was a lunar lander built by Astrobotic Technology, selected as a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. It was launched on the maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur on 8 January 2024, 07:18 UTC. ^[1] The Vulcan Centaur successfully placed Peregrine into trans-lunar injection, however, following a fuel leak with the spacecraft unrelated to the Vulcan Centaur, the lander failed in its attempt to land on the Moon. ^[2]

Launch statistics

Launch outcomes

3

6

9

12

15

2024

2025

2026

2027

•   Failure
•   Partial failure
•   Success
•   Planned

Launch sites

1

2

2024

2025

2026

2027

•   Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41
•   Vandenberg, SLC‑3E

Rocket configurations

1

2

2024

2025

2026

2027

•   VC0
•   VC2
•   VC4
•   VC6

Launch history

2024

Flight No.	Date / time (UTC)	Rocket, configuration	Launch site	Payload	Payload mass	Orbit	Customer	Launch outcome
1	8 January 2024 07:18	Vulcan Centaur VC2S	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	Peregrine lander	1,283 kg (2,829 lb)	TLI	Astrobotic Technology	Success [3]
				Enterprise (space burial)		Heliocentric	Celestis
	Maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur and Vulcan Centaur VC2S Configuration. Certification-1 mission, the first of two launches needed to certify the rocket for National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. Payload from Celestis, demonstrated engine restart capability of the Centaur upper stage delivering multiple payloads to different orbits. The Peregrine payload failed in transit to the Moon, precluding a landing attempt, due to reasons unrelated to the launch vehicle. [4]
2	4 October 2024 11:25	Vulcan Centaur VC2S	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	Mass simulator	1,500 kg (3,300 lb)	Heliocentric	United Launch Alliance	Success
	Certification-2 mission, the second of two launches needed to certify the rocket for NSSL missions. Originally scheduled to carry the first flight of Dream Chaser; however, due to schedule delays with Dream Chaser, ULA flew a mass simulator with experiments and demonstrations of future Centaur V technologies. [5] [6] Approximately 37 seconds into the launch, the nozzle on one of solid rocket boosters (SRB) fell off resulting in a shower of debris in the exhaust plume. Although the SRB continued to function for its full 90-second burn, the anomaly led to reduced, asymmetrical thrust. This caused the rocket to slightly tilt before the guidance system and main engines successfully corrected and extended their burn by roughly 20 seconds to compensate. Despite the anomaly, the rocket achieved nominal orbital insertion, [7] [8] with the Space Force praising the launch and "the robustness of the total Vulcan system". [9] The nozzle anomaly was attributed to a manufacturing defect in a insulator located inside the nozzle. [10]

2025

Flight No.	Date / time (UTC)	Rocket, configuration	Launch site	Payload	Payload mass	Orbit	Customer	Launch outcome
3	13 August 2025 00:56	Vulcan Centaur VC4S	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	USSF-106 (NTS-3 & TBA)	~1,250 kg (2,760 lb)	GSO	U.S. Space Force	Success
	USSF-106 mission. [11] Maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur VC4S Configuration. [12] [13] First NSSL mission for Vulcan Centaur. [14] It will launch Navigation Technology Satellite 3 (NTS-3), an experimental spacecraft to test technologies for next-generation GPS satellites.

Future launches

Future launches are listed chronologically when firm plans are in place. The order of the later launches is much less certain. ^[15] Launches are expected to take place "no earlier than" (NET) the listed date. As of August 2025 ^[update] ULA are "aiming for about two launches per month across its Atlas and Vulcan fleets in 2025 and 2026". ^[16]

2025

Date / time (UTC) [15]	Rocket, configuration	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Customer
Q3 2025	Vulcan Centaur VC4S	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	USSF-87 (GSSAP 7 & 8)	GSO	U.S. Space Force
	USSF-87 mission. [17] It will launch two identical Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness satellites, GSSAP-7 and 8, directly to a geosynchronous orbit. [18]
Q4 2025 [19]	Vulcan Centaur VC6L [13]	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	KuiperSat × 45 (KV-01)	LEO	Amazon (Kuiper Systems)
	First of 38 Vulcan Centaur launches for Amazon's Project Kuiper.
Q4 2025	Vulcan Centaur VC2S [20]	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	GPS III SV09 [21]	MEO	U.S. Space Force
	First GPS mission for Vulcan Centaur. NSSL contract for FY2024.
2025	Vulcan Centaur VC4L [13]	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	SSC Demo-1 (Dream Chaser Tenacity)	LEO (ISS)	NASA (CRS)
	First flight of Dream Chaser. Maiden flight of the Vulcan Centaur VC4L configuration.
2025 [22]	Vulcan Centaur	Vandenberg, SLC‑3E	NROL-83	TBA	NRO
	Classified NRO payload. First announced Vulcan Centaur launch from Vandenberg.

2026

Date / time (UTC)	Rocket, configuration	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Customer
March 2026 [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41 [24]	USSF-57 (NG-OPIR-GEO 1)	GEO	U.S. Space Force
	Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite.
Q1 2026 [25]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	USSF-43 (LDPE-4 & TBA)	TBA	U.S. Space Force
	Classified payload.
Q1 2026 [26] [27] [28]	Vulcan Centaur VC2L	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	WGS-11 (PTS-P1)	GEO	U.S. Space Force
	Military communications satellite. Maiden flight of the Vulcan Centaur VC2L configuration. Protected Tactical Satcom prototype payload. The PTS payload will fly on dedicated Northrop Grumman built ESPAStar-HP satellite bus.
2026 [22]	Vulcan Centaur	Vandenberg, SLC‑3E	USSF-114	TBA	U.S. Space Force
	Classified payload.
2026 [26]	Vulcan Centaur VC4S	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	USSF-112	TBA	U.S. Space Force
	Classified payload.
2026 [7]	Vulcan Centaur VC2S [20]	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	GPS III SV10 [21]	MEO	U.S. Space Force
2026 [22]	Vulcan Centaur VC2S	Vandenberg, SLC‑3E	SDA T1TR-B	LEO	SDA
	Tranche 1 Tracking Layer B missile tracking satellites.
2026 [22]	Vulcan Centaur VC2S	Vandenberg, SLC‑3E	SDA T1TR-D	LEO	SDA
	Tranche 1 Tracking Layer D missile tracking satellites.
2026 [22]	Vulcan Centaur VC4	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	NROL-64	TBA	NRO
	First NRO launch on Vulcan
2026 [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41 [24]	Missile Track Custody 1 (USSF-95)	MEO	U.S. Space Force
	First launch of Missile Track Custody satellites.
2026 [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Vandenberg, SLC‑3E	SDA T2TL-B	LEO	SDA
	Tranche 2 Transport Layer B missile tracking satellites.

2027

Date / time (UTC)	Rocket, configuration	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Customer
2027	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	GPS IIIF-1 [21]	MEO	U.S. Space Force
	First GPS Block IIIF navigation satellite.
2027	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	GPS IIIF-2 [21]	MEO	U.S. Space Force
	Also designated USSF-49 under NSSL

TBD

Date / time (UTC)	Rocket, configuration	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Customer
TBD [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41 [24]	NROL-56	TBA	NRO
	Classified NRO payload.
TBD [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Vandenberg, SLC‑3E [24]	NROL-73	TBA	NRO
	Classified NRO payload.
TBD [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Vandenberg, SLC‑3E [24]	NROL-100	TBA	NRO
	Classified NRO payload.
TBD [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41 [24]	NROL-109	TBA	NRO
	Classified NRO payload.
TBD [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41 [24]	Silentbarker 2A, 2B, 2C (NROL-118)	GEO	U.S. Space Force (NRO)
	Classified USSF & NRO partnered program.
TBD [23]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41 [24]	STP-5	LEO	U.S. Space Force
	Two satellites for Department of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office [29]
TBD [25]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	USSF-16	TBA	U.S. Space Force
	Classified payload.
TBD [25]	Vulcan Centaur	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	USSF-23	TBA	U.S. Space Force
	Classified payload.
TBD [30]	Vulcan Centaur VC4L [13]	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	SSC CRS-1 to CRS-5	LEO (ISS)	NASA (CRS)
	5 Dream Chaser launches on contract.
TBD [19]	Vulcan Centaur VC6L [13]	Cape Canaveral, SLC‑41	KuiperSat × 45 (KV-02 to KV-38)	LEO	Amazon (Kuiper Systems)
	38 Vulcan Centaur launches for Amazon's Project Kuiper.

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• List of Atlas launches (2020–2029)
• List of Thor and Delta launches (2020–2024)
• List of USA satellites
• List of NRO launches

References

1. Bruno, Tory (10 December 2023). "#VulcanRocket WDR update". X. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
2. "The first US Moon landing in more than 50 years has hit a major hurdle after a 'critical' fuel leak". ABC News (Australia) . 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
3. McCrea, Aaron (8 January 2024). "Vulcan successfully launches Peregrine lunar lander on inaugural flight". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
4. "The first US Moon landing in more than 50 years has hit a major hurdle after a 'critical' fuel leak". ABC News (Australia) . 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
5. Berger, Eric (22 July 2024). "A mid-September test flight of Vulcan could permit a military launch this year". Ars Technica . Retrieved 23 July 2024.
6. "Vulcan Cert-2". United Launch Alliance . Retrieved 3 September 2024.
7. Clark, Stephen (4 October 2024). "ULA's second Vulcan rocket lost part of its booster and kept going". Ars Technica . Retrieved 4 October 2024.
8. Foust, Jeff (4 October 2024). "Vulcan competes second flight despite SRB anomaly". SpaceNews . Retrieved 4 October 2024.
9. Clark, Stephen (22 October 2024). "Space Force is "assessing" impacts to Vulcan schedule". Ars Technica . Retrieved 23 October 2024. It was a successful Cert flight, and now we're knee deep in finalizing certification
10. Foust, Jeff (12 March 2025). "Manufacturing defect blamed for Vulcan solid rocket motor anomaly". SpaceNews. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
11. Erwin, Sandra (9 April 2022). "Air Force space experiment will seek to demonstrate multi-orbit satellite navigation". SpaceNews . Retrieved 30 August 2022.
12. @GewoonLukas_ (24 June 2024). "The first one will be the USSF-106 mission. This launch will carry the NTS-3 satellite, along with another currently unidentified payload, directly to Geosynchronous orbit. It currently looks like Vulcan will be flying in the VC4 configuration for this mission" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
13. Krebs, Gunter (19 December 2023). "Vulcan". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
14. Erwin, Sandra (27 February 2023). "Air Force navigation satellite to launch on Vulcan's first national security mission". SpaceNews . Retrieved 27 February 2023.
15. Baylor, Michael. "Upcoming Launches: Vulcan". Next Spaceflight. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
16. ULA CEO Tory Bruno Outlines plans for Vulcan and beyond
17. "FY21 NSS Missions". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
18. @GewoonLukas_ (24 June 2024). "The second one will be the USSF-87 mission, which will likely carry the 7th GSSAP satellite directly to Geosynchronous orbit. It currently looks like Vulcan will be flying in the VC2 configuration for this mission, although a VC4 has been previously reported" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
19. "Amazon Signs Contract with United Launch Alliance for 38 Project Kuiper Launches on Vulcan Centaur". ULA . 5 April 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
20. @torybruno (16 May 2024). "Likely a 2 solid. When the Gov wants to go" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
21. "Space Systems Command declares three GPS III space vehicles "Available for Launch"". www.ssc.spaceforce.mil. 24 August 2021.
22. Erwin, Sandra (8 June 2023). "Space Force assigns 12 national security missions to SpaceX and ULA". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
23. Erwin, Sandra (31 October 2023). "Space Force assigns 21 national security missions to ULA and SpaceX". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
24. @thesheetztweetz (1 November 2023). "And, for those curious, here's the rundown of the 21 mission assignments:" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
25. Erwin, Sandra (30 May 2022). "Space Force identifies national security launches funded in 2022 and 2023". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
26. "Rocket Launch Manifest". Next Spaceflight. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
27. Erwin, Sandra (13 April 2023). "Boeing unveils WGS-11 design with new military payload". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
28. Erwin, Sandra (9 April 2024). "Northrop Grumman developing military communications satellite for 2025 launch". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
29. "Space Systems Command announces 21 mission assignments for National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Procurement" (PDF). 31 October 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
30. Foust, Jeff (29 April 2022). "First Dream Chaser vehicle takes shape". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 January 2024.