"The Vulcan rocket has flown just four times since its debut in January 2024, despite a backlog of nearly 70 launches. Anomalies in its solid rocket boosters have raised serious concerns about its reliability."
"Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant stated that the Vulcan rocket's reliability woes are top of mind among military space leadership and will shape future Pentagon launch service procurement decisions."
"The nozzle malfunctions suggest something is seriously amiss at ULA and its booster supplier, Northrop Grumman, with the Vulcan rocket many months away from returning to flight for the US military."
The US Space Force faces challenges with the Vulcan rocket, which has experienced two significant anomalies in its solid rocket boosters. Despite a backlog of nearly 70 launches, the Vulcan has only flown four times since its debut in January 2024. The issues have raised concerns about ULA and its supplier, Northrop Grumman, leading to potential delays in future missions. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant emphasized that these reliability problems will impact how the military approaches future launch service acquisitions.
Read at Ars Technica
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