Space Force Halts Vulcan Rocket Launches Over Booster Anomaly
The U.S. Space Force paused Vulcan launches after a booster anomaly on Feb. 12 USSF-87 mission; investigation expected to last months before flights resume.
- At an Air Force Association's Warfare Symposium in Colorado, a top service official said the U.S. Space Force will pause Vulcan launches until the anomaly is resolved.
- Shortly after liftoff on USSF-87, observers noted an irregular plume from a Northrop Grumman-built GEM 63XL solid rocket booster, resembling a prior nozzle-separation issue ULA said was corrected.
- ULA and Northrop Grumman are forming an investigation team to review data, inspect spent motor assemblies, and develop corrective actions before flying Vulcan again.
- With Vulcan grounded, the Space Force relies solely on SpaceX to carry out NSSL missions until Vulcan returns, potentially impacting the GPS III SV-10 launch planned for no later than next month.
- Amid schedule pressure, the review could take many months, complicating the launch projection of 18-22 launches this year amid a backlog of roughly 80 missions, Space Force said.
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Space Force Pauses Vulcan Missions amid Anomaly Investigation
AURORA, Colo.—The Space Force is pressing pause on all military launches on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket as officials investigate a recent anomaly they say could take “many months” to resolve. That means launch plans for a GPS III satellite slated to fly on the brand new rocket next month are in flux, according to Col. Eric Zarybinsky, program executive officer for assured access to space. “I’m going to look for every flexibility I …
POLITICS: Space Force pauses national security launches on Vulcan – USSA News
AFA WARFARE SYMPOSIUM — The Space Force is holding off on launching further national security payloads aboard United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket until an anomaly observed during a recent military mission is resolved, according to a top service official. “We are going to work through this anomaly until we launch again on Vulcan,” Col. Eric Zarybnisky, the Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executive for assured access to space, said in a med…
Space Force pauses national security launches on Vulcan
“We’re still in the initial phases of that investigation, so we’ll continue to to work with the United Launch Alliance and their suppliers to make sure we’ve got the right level of insight and understand where that investigation is headed,” Col. Eric Zarybnisky said.
Space Force won't use ULA's Vulcan until anomaly resolved
DENVER -- The Space Force won't use Vulcan rockets for National Security Space Launch missions until the service and the contractor can resolve the anomaly from a recent launch, a service official said today. The investigation into the anomaly on the United Launch Alliance rocket could take several months, said Col. Erik Zarybnisky, acting portfolio acquisition executive for space access. “We are going to work through this anomaly before I go ba…
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