Tag: ULA

  • ULA successfully launches AEHF-4 satellite

    Early this morning at 12:15 am EDT United Launch Alliance successfully delivered the AEHF-4 satellite for the United States Air Force. Using the most powerful version of their Atlas V rocket with a single RD-180 engine and five strap-on solid boosters the rocket soared into the air for an on-time launch. The Advanced Extremely High…

  • ULA launches NASA’s ICESat2

    Early this morning United Launch Alliance successfully launched NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satelite 2 (ICESat2). The launch was slightly delayed due to an issue with the bottle temperatures during the countdown. This issue was quickly resolved and the mission completed successfully. This was the final launch of the venerable Delta II which has…

  • ULA launches GOES-S satellite

    United Launch Alliance successfully launched the NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) satellite this evening from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 41. Following a smooth countdown, the rocket lifted off at 5:02 pm EST and successfully deployed the satellite into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit 3h 32m later.

  • ULA launches WGS 9

    Following a delay to resolve an issue with the Delta 4 launcher ULA resolved the issue and delivered the WGS 9 satellite to orbit this evening.

  • ULA launches NROL-79 mission

    Following a smooth countdown this morning United Launch Alliance launched an Atlas V 401 carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Due to the nature of this launch the live broadcast was terminated after the payload separation occurred.

  • Orbital ATK’s CRS Cargo Missions resume

    More than a year after the catastrophic failure of the Antares Launch vehicle which resulted in the lose of the Cygnus Cargo vehicle and its payload Orbital’s enhanced Cygnus vehicle lifted off from Cape Canaveral today with the help of an United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.  The launch which was delayed three times due to…

  • ULA launches WGS 7 satellite

    This evening United Launch Alliance launched the seventh Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) military communications satellite aboard its Delta IV rocket. The launch, which was delayed yesterday due to stormy weather, proceeded with a smooth countdown this afternoon resulting in the Delta IV lifting off at 8:07 pm EDT. Once in orbit the 2nd stage will…

  • The Re-usable Rocket Era approaches

    While SpaceX have yet to successfully land a Falcon 9 first stage it appears their vision has spurred the industry to react with both United Launch Alliance (ULA) and now Airbus Aerospace announcing plans to include re-usable components in future rocket designs. The three companies have quite different plans to achieve the re-use. SpaceX – Plan…

  • NASA awards first Commercial Crew Flight Contract

    This week NASA announced that it had awarded Boeing the first Commercial Crew flight contract under the CCtCap program. However it is important to realize that while the contract has been awarded, as NASA started in the press release. Determination of which company will fly its mission to the station first will be made at…

  • Is ULA’s new rocket doomed?

    With great fanfare United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced their new Vulcan Rocket last month. However since then the news has not been quite so rosy for the company. Almost immediately after the announcement Paul Allen’s Vulcan Aerospace informed ULA that the name was trademarked, at present we have not heard anything further on this but…