Second Time’s the Charm: ULA’s Vulcan Rocket Launches Despite Anomaly [VIDEO]

United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) second Vulcan Centaur rocket has been transported to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) in Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket is scheduled for its second launch on Friday, 4 October 2024.

Update 4 October: Successful Launch!

United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched its second Vulcan rocket into space on Friday morning (4 October), overcoming multiple delays that pushed the liftoff more than an hour past its original scheduled time. The launch took place from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at approximately 7:25 a.m. EDT.

The launch, initially set for 6 a.m. EDT, faced several setbacks:

1. The first delay occurred 12 minutes before the original liftoff time when the launch team requested extra time “to complete operations”.
2. A second delay happened less than two minutes before the rescheduled 6:30 a.m. liftoff.
3. The launch clock was reset multiple times before the final successful launch at 7:25 a.m. EDT.

The live stream lasted approximately 3.5 hours. Throughout these delays, officials reported optimal weather conditions for launch, with no technical issues identified that needed addressing before blastoff.

This rollout marks an essential step in preparations, including a wet dress rehearsal (WDR). The WDR will involve loading the rocket with cryogenic propellants, allowing ULA to conduct a complete countdown at the launch pad.

Key Test Flight for Certification

If the WDR and other checkouts are successful, Vulcan Centaur will launch during a three-hour window starting at 6:00 a.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. GMT) on October 4. This mission, Cert-2, is the second of two needed for ULA to achieve certification for use by the U.S. Space Force.

Earlier this year, Vulcan Centaur completed its first test flight, successfully sending Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine moon lander to Earth orbit. However, the Peregrine lander did not reach the moon due to a propellant leak that caused it to burn up upon re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere.

No Operational Payload for This Mission

Unlike its previous mission, Cert-2 will not carry an operational spacecraft. Instead, it will focus on technology demonstrations related to the Centaur V upper stage.

Initially, Cert-2 was expected to include Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser space plane, but additional time was needed to prepare the plane for flight. ULA has indicated that Dream Chaser’s debut will still take place aboard a future Vulcan Centaur mission once it’s ready.