ULA crews at Cape Canaveral have already stacked the subsequent Vulcan rocket on its cell launch platform in anticipation of launching the USSF-106 mission. However with the Area Drive’s Area Programs Command nonetheless withholding certification, there is not any confirmed launch date for USSF-106.
So ULA is pivoting to a different buyer on its launch manifest.
Amazon’s first group of manufacturing satellites for the corporate’s Kuiper Web community is now first in line on ULA’s schedule. Amazon confirmed final month that it could ship Kuiper satellites to Cape Canaveral from its manufacturing unit in Kirkland, Washington. Like ULA, Amazon has run into its personal delays with manufacturing Kuiper satellites.
“These satellites, constructed to face up to the cruel situations of house and the journey there, can be processed upon arrival to get them prepared for launch,” Amazon posted on X. “These satellites will carry quick, dependable Web to prospects even in distant areas. Keep tuned for our first launch this yr.”
Amazon and the Area Drive take up almost all of ULA’s launch backlog. Amazon has eight flights reserved on Atlas V rockets and 38 missions booked on the Vulcan launcher to deploy about half of its 3,232 satellites to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink community. Amazon additionally has launch contracts with Blue Origin, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, together with Arianespace and SpaceX.
The excellent news is that United Launch Alliance has a list of rockets awaiting a chance to fly. The corporate plans to complete manufacturing its remaining 15 Atlas V rockets inside a number of months, permitting the manufacturing unit in Decatur, Alabama, to focus solely on producing Vulcan launch automobiles. ULA has all the key elements for 2 Vulcan rockets in storage at Cape Canaveral.
“We have now a stockpile of rockets, which is type of uncommon,” Bruno mentioned. “Usually, you construct it, you fly it, you construct one other one… I will surely need anybody who’s able to go to house in a position to go to house.”
Area Drive officers now intention to complete the certification of the Vulcan rocket in late February or early March. This might clear the trail for launching the USSF-106 mission after the subsequent Atlas V. As soon as the Kuiper launch will get off the bottom, groups will carry the Vulcan rocket’s elements again to the hangar to be stacked once more.
The Area Drive has not set a launch date for USSF-106, however the service says liftoff is focused for someday between the start of April and the tip of June, almost 5 years after ULA gained its profitable contract.
