Vulcan Centaur is a two-stage-to-orbit, heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by United Launch Alliance (ULA) since 2014. It is principally designed to meet launch demands for the U.S. government's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program for use by the United States Space Force and U.S. intelligence agencies for national security satellite launches. It will replace both of ULA's existing launchers (Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy) in this role, as these launchers are retiring.
Specifications
- Thrust
- 13,706 kN
- Height
- 67.4 m
- Diameter
- 5.4 m
- Launch mass
- 770 t
- Stages
- 2
- Launch cost
- —
- LEO capacity
- 24,600 kg
- GTO capacity
- 11,700 kg
- GEO capacity
- 4,900 kg
- SSO capacity
- 20,000 kg
Vehicle specifications from Launch Library; blanks are unpublished figures.
Flight record
Flights
0
Launches with a definitive outcome
Success rate
—
0 of 0
Current success streak
0
Landings
0
0 attempts · 0 droneship / 0 RTLS
Fastest turnaround
—
Between consecutive booster flights
Counted from padside's own launch record — the same basis as the Stats page.
Launches
Next: Vulcan VC4L | Dream Chaser CRS 2 Flight 1 — December 31, 2026
No completed launches on record yet.