Vulcan Rocket Completes First National Security Launch for Space Force

August 20, 2025

A United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-106 mission for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 on Aug. 12 at 8:56 p.m. EDT, marking the first National Security Launch aboard a Vulcan rocket. (Image: United Launch Alliance)

United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Vulcan Centaur V rocket recently completed its first National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission for the U.S. Space Force (USSF). On Aug. 12, the next generation rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, carrying the USSF-106 mission into geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO).

Spacecraft separation, signaling mission success, occurred approximately seven hours after liftoff into geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO).

The USSF is leveraging the newly certified Vulcan Centaur rocket to deliver demonstrations and experiments to geosynchronous orbit on behalf of Department of Defense (DoD) customers. The experiment flying on USSF-106, the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3), is an Air Force Vanguard project led by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and built by L3Harris Technologies. It leverages a secondary payload adapter which demonstrates resilient satellite navigation through flexible reprogrammable signals, an electronically steerable antenna, and advanced timekeeping algorithms. NTS-3 is the first U.S. integrated navigation satellite experiment in nearly 50 years, since NTS-1 and NTS-2 paved the way for the current GPS constellation.

“It’s an exciting day for us as we launched the first NSSL flight of Vulcan, an outstanding achievement for United Launch Alliance and the nation’s strategic space lift capability. This is an important milestone for the Space Force and all involved,” said Col. Jim Horne, USSF-106 Mission Director. “After years of development, technical collaboration, and dedication by all involved, including our government mission partners and the entire ULA team, I’m proud to say the first Vulcan NSSL mission delivered its payloads safely into space.”

Another angle of the Vulcan Centaur V rocket lifting off from Space Launch Complex in Florida. (Image: United Launch Alliance)

Standing at 202 feet tall and weighing 1.74 million pounds, the Vulcan configuration is enabled by the powerful Centaur V upper stage, which has 2.5 times the energy and 450 times the endurance of its predecessors, according to ULA. The company's Vulcan rocket is offered in four standard configurations, including zero, two, four and six solid rocket booster variants. Vulcan's main engine booster propulsion is powered by a pair of BE-4 engines, manufactured by Blue Origin, while Northrop Grumman supplies the Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) 63XL solid rocket boosters for Vulcan.

“Vulcan is a catalyst to supporting national defense in the strategic warfighting domain of space,” said Tory Bruno, ULA president and CEO. “Vulcan is the world’s most capable, high energy orbit rocket meeting the demand for expanding space competencies. Vulcan provides flexibility to our nation’s decision makers as we combat our adversaries attempts to disrupt the U.S. in space operations. This launch begins a new era in national space security.”

Since the company's founding in 2006, ULA has successfully launched nearly all of the 132 critical missions to orbit for the U.S. Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office, primarily using its Atlas V, Delta II and Delva IV rockets.

ULA’s next launch is the third Atlas mission for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Kuiper 3, which will also be launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

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