United Launch Alliance
ULA pushing forward with Vulcan amid concerns about engine delays
For ULA’s president and CEO Tory Bruno, job No. 1 is to get Vulcan ready for its maiden launch, which he says will happen in early 2021. This will be a critical first step toward the certification of Vulcan for national security missions.
Air Force awards $98.5 million ‘completion contract’ to ULA for launch services for three Atlas 5 missions
The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center announced Oct. 1 it has awarded a $98.5 million contract to United Launch Alliance to complete three Atlas 5 missions scheduled to launch in 2020.
Air Force awards ULA $1.18 billion contract to complete five Delta 4 Heavy NRO missions
The award covers the launch operations costs for five classified NRO missions — NROL-44, NROL-82, NROL-91, NROL-68 and NROL-70.
Launch companies look to government customers for stability
With the size and growth of commercial markets uncertain, launch companies are looking to government agencies to varying degrees for stability and funding for the development of new vehicles.
Commercial lunar lander companies update mission plans
Days after Astrobotic announced its selection of United Launch Alliance to launch its first lunar lander, Japanese lunar lander company ispace says it is modifying its schedule for commercial lunar lander missions.
Lockheed Martin projects decline in space profits in 2019 due to ULA
While Lockheed Martin’s space unit reported increased earnings in 2018, the company cautioned that it expects profits from that unit to decline in 2019 because of decreased contributions from United Launch Alliance.
Launch companies reduce vehicle options to lower costs
Launch companies that once offered many variants of an individual vehicle to match the specific needs of payloads are now moving to a smaller number of standardized designs, trading off optimization for cost savings.
Military launch poised for new era as Air Force prepares to move beyond EELV
The U.S. Air Force is moving into the next chapter of military space launch — competitive procurement of launch services from a wider field of commercial vendors with entirely U.S.-made rockets.
Blue Origin’s anticlimactic victory and Aerojet’s Plan B
ULA finally selects BE-4 engine for Vulcan, marking an anticlimactic victory for Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin (and another disappointment for Aerojet Rocketdyne).
Viasat, ULA insist ViaSat-3 launch was competitively procured
United Launch Alliance and satellite operator Viasat are defending the “competed” status of a launch contract that other launch companies say they had no part in.
ULA selects Blue Origin to provide Vulcan main engine
United Launch Alliance announced Sept. 27 that it has selected Blue Origin to provide the main engine for its next-generation Vulcan launch vehicle, a decision long expected by the industry.
Aerojet Rocketdyne seeks other customers for AR1 engine
With growing doubts it will be selected by United Launch Alliance for its Vulcan rocket, Aerojet Rocketdyne is looking to smaller launch vehicles as potential customers for its AR1 engine.
Amid GEO downturn, launch operators look for new markets
With orders for geostationary orbit satellites declining, potentially permanently, commercial launch service providers are looking to government and other markets to make up for lost business.
Hearing raises questions about pace of commercial launch regulatory overhaul
As the commercial launch industry seeks regulatory reforms to streamline the licensing process, other are raising concerns about a schedule that calls for those changes to be completed next year.
Industry warns of launch vehicle glut
The launch industry is facing a shakeout in the coming years that could result in the failure of the vast majority of companies developing new vehicles, industry executives warned at a conference.
Union votes to end ULA strike
Striking United Launch Alliance employees will return to work after voting May 19 to accept a revised contract, ending a two-week strike.
