This is a list of launches made by the Vulcan Centaur rocket, first launched January 8, 2024.
Peregrine Mission One, or the Peregrine Lunar Lander, was a lunar lander built by Astrobotic Technology, selected as a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS). It was launched successfully on the maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur on January 8, 2024 at 2:18 am EST [1] by United Launch Alliance (ULA) aboard a Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle on its maiden flight. The lander carried multiple payloads, with a total payload mass capacity of 90 kg. [2] However, following a fuel leak with the spacecraft, unrelated to the launch vehicle, the lander failed in its attempt. The launch vehicle however made a very successful introduction into service following the launch.
| 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 | CCSFS, SLC-41 | Peregrine lander / Enterprise (space burial) | 1283 kg | TLI (Peregrine) / Heliocentric (Enterprise) | Astrobotic Technology / Celestis | Success [3] |
| Maiden flight of Vulcan Centaur. Also known as Certification-1. Also included a payload from Celestis, demonstrating 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] | ||||||||
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early September [5] | Vulcan Centaur VC4L [6] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | SNC Demo-1 (Dream Chaser Tenacity.1) | LEO (ISS) | NASA (CRS) |
| First flight of Dream Chaser, may fly a mass simulator due to delays from the payload. [7] | |||||
| Q3 2024 [8] | Vulcan Centaur VC4L [6] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | USSF-106 / NTS-3 [9] | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| First National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission for Vulcan Centaur. [10] | |||||
| Q3 2024 [11] | Vulcan Centaur VC4S [6] | CCSFS, SLC-41 | GPS-III SV07 | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| First GPS mission for Vulcan Centaur. | |||||
| 2024 [12] | Vulcan Centaur VC4 | CCSFS, SLC-41 | USSF-112 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2024 [12] | Vulcan Centaur VC4 | CCSFS, SLC-41 | USSF-87 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| 2024 [13] | Vulcan Centaur | CCSFS, SLC-41 | WGS-11 | GEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Military communications satellite. | |||||
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 [14] | Vulcan Centaur VC4S | CCSFS, SLC-41 | GPS-III SV08 | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Eighth GPS Block III navigation satellite. | |||||
| 2025 [15] | Vulcan Centaur VC4S | CCSFS, SLC-41 | GPS-III SV09 | MEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Ninth GPS Block III navigation satellite. | |||||
| 2025 [14] | Vulcan Centaur | CCSFS, SLC-41 | NROL-64 | TBA | NRO |
| First NRO launch on Vulcan | |||||
| 2025 [14] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | NROL-83 | TBA | NRO |
| Classified NRO payload. First Vulcan Centaur launch from Vandenberg | |||||
| 2025 [14] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | SDA T1TR-B | LEO | SDA |
| Tranche 1 Tracking Layer B missile tracking satellites. | |||||
| 2025 [14] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | SDA T1TR-D | LEO | SDA |
| Tranche 1 Tracking Layer D missile tracking satellites. | |||||
| 2025 [14] | Vulcan Centaur | VSFB, SLC-3E | USSF-114 | TBA | U.S. Space Force |
| Classified payload. | |||||
| Date / time (UTC) | Rocket, configuration | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLT 2027 [16] [15] | Vulcan Centaur | CCSFS, SLC-41 [17] | DRACO Demo (USSF-25) | LEO | U.S. Space Force |
| Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) is a DARPA program to demonstrate a working nuclear thermal rocket in space. | |||||
The Centaur is a family of rocket propelled upper stages that has been in use since 1962. It is currently produced by U.S. launch service provider United Launch Alliance, with one main active version and one version under development. The 3.05 m (10.0 ft) diameter Common Centaur/Centaur III flies as the upper stage of the Atlas V launch vehicle, and the 5.4 m (18 ft) diameter Centaur V has been developed as the upper stage of ULA's new Vulcan rocket. Centaur was the first rocket stage to use liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants, a high-energy combination that is ideal for upper stages but has significant handling difficulties.
Delta IV was a group of five expendable launch systems in the Delta rocket family. It flew 45 missions from 2002 to 2024. Originally designed by Boeing's Defense, Space and Security division for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, the Delta IV became a United Launch Alliance (ULA) product in 2006. The Delta IV was primarily a launch vehicle for United States Air Force (USAF) military payloads, but was also used to launch a number of United States government non-military payloads and a single commercial satellite.
National Security Space Launch (NSSL) is a program of the United States Space Force (USSF) intended to assure access to space for United States Department of Defense and other United States government payloads. The program is managed by the Assured Access to Space Directorate (SSC/AA) of the Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC), in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office.
The RL10 is a liquid-fuel cryogenic rocket engine built in the United States by Aerojet Rocketdyne that burns cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants. Modern versions produce up to 110 kN (24,729 lbf) of thrust per engine in vacuum. Three RL10 versions are in production for the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas V and the DCSS of the Delta IV. Three more versions are in development for the Exploration Upper Stage of the Space Launch System and the Centaur V of the Vulcan rocket.
Blue Origin Enterprises, L.P., commonly referred to as Blue Origin is an American aerospace manufacturer, defense contractor, launch service provider and space technologies company headquartered in Kent, Washington, United States. The company makes rocket engines for United Launch Alliance (ULA)'s Vulcan rocket and manufactures their own rockets, spacecraft, satellites, and heavy-lift launch vehicles. The company is the second provider of lunar lander services for NASA's Artemis program and was awarded a $3.4 billion contract. The four rocket engines the company has in production are the BE-3U, BE-3PM, BE-4 and the BE-7.
Atlas V is an expendable launch system and the fifth major version in the Atlas launch vehicle family. It was originally designed by Lockheed Martin, now being operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. It is used for DoD, NASA, and Commercial payloads. It is America's longest-serving active rocket. After 87 launches, in August 2021 ULA announced that Atlas V would be retired, and all 29 remaining launches had been sold. As of January 2024, 17 launches remain. Other future ULA launches will use the new Vulcan Centaur rocket.
Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) is a launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base that consists of two separate launch pads. SLC-3E (East) was used by the Atlas V launch vehicle before it was decommissioned in August 2021 with the final launch taking place on November 10, 2022 at 09:49, while SLC-3W (West) has been demolished.
United Launch Alliance, LLC, commonly referred to as ULA, is an American aerospace manufacturer, defense contractor and launch service provider that manufactures and operates rockets that launch spacecraft into Earth orbit and on trajectories to other bodies in the Solar System. ULA also designed and builds the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the Space Launch System (SLS).
The Delta IV Heavy was an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, the largest type of the Delta IV family. It was the world's third highest-capacity launch vehicle in operation at the time of its retirement in 2024, behind NASA's Space Launch System and SpaceX's Falcon Heavy and closely followed by CASC's Long March 5. It was manufactured by United Launch Alliance (ULA) and was first launched in 2004. ULA retired the Delta IV Heavy in 2024. Future ULA launches will use the new Vulcan Centaur rocket. Delta IV's final flight was in 9 April 2024.
Astrobotic Technology inc., commonly referred to as Astrobotic is an American private company that is developing space robotics technology for lunar and planetary missions. It was founded in 2007 by Carnegie Mellon professor Red Whittaker and his associates with the goal of winning the Google Lunar X Prize. The company is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their first launch occurred on January 8, 2024, as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The launch carried the company's Peregrine lunar lander on board the first flight of the Vulcan Centaur rocket from Florida's Space Force Station LC-41. The mission was unable to reach the Moon for a soft or hard landing. On June 11, 2020, Astrobotic received a second contract for the CLPS program. NASA will pay Astrobotic US$199.5 million to take the VIPER rover to the Moon, targeting a landing in November 2024.
A heavy-lift launch vehicle is an orbital launch vehicle capable of generating a large amount of lift to reach its intended orbit. Heavy-lift launch vehicles generally are capable of lifting payloads between 20,000 to 50,000 kg or between 20,000 to 100,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit (LEO). As of 2024, operational heavy-lift launch vehicles include the Long March 5 and the Proton-M.
Vulcan Centaur is a two-stage-to-orbit, expendable, heavy-lift launch vehicle created and operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA). It is principally designed for the United States Space Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, which launches satellites for the Defense Department and U.S. intelligence agencies. It will replace ULA's existing heavy-lift Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy rockets. Vulcan Centaur will also be used for commercial launches, including an order for 38 launches from Kuiper Systems.
OmegA was a medium-lift to heavy-lift launch vehicle concept that spent several years in development by Northrop Grumman during 2016–2020, with that development substantially funded by the U.S. government. OmegA was intended for launching U.S. national security satellites, as part of the U.S. Department of the Air Force National Security Space Launch (NSSL) replacement program.
The year 2024 is expected to exceed 2023's 223 orbital launches. So far, the year saw the successful first launch of Vulcan Centaur, Gravity-1, and notably the third developmental launch of SpaceX's Starship – IFT-3. Additionally, the final launch of a Delta family rocket occurred in April with a Delta IV Heavy. In May, China launched the Chang'e 6, the first sample return from the far side of the Moon. By May 13th, there were 92 total launch attempts equaling the total number of attempts for the whole year in 2014, just 10 years prior. Following 2020s' trend, it is expected that many more privately-developed launch vehicles will feature a maiden launch in 2024.
Kuiper Systems LLC, also known as Project Kuiper, is a subsidiary of Amazon that was established in 2019 to deploy a large satellite internet constellation to provide low-latency broadband internet connectivity. The name Kuiper was a company codename for the project inspired by the outer Solar System's Kuiper belt.
Peregrine Lunar Lander flight 01, commonly referred to as Peregrine Mission One, was an unsuccessful American lunar lander mission. The lander, dubbed Peregrine, was built by Astrobotic Technology and carried payloads for the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Peregrine Mission One launched on 8 January 2024, at 2:18 am EST, on the maiden flight of the Vulcan Centaur (Vulcan) rocket. The goal was to land the first U.S.-built lunar lander on the Moon since the crewed Apollo Lunar Module on Apollo 17 in 1972.
Spaceflight in 2025 promises to follow the 2020s trend of record breaking orbital launches and increased developments in lunar, Mars and low-earth orbit exploration.
This article documents expected notable spaceflight events during the year 2027.
