Developing ‘Space Valley' here in New Mexico with the Air Force Research Lab
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Gizmodo
7 hours ago
- Gizmodo
ULA's Vulcan Rocket to Launch Mystery Payload on Debut Space Force Mission
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is gearing up for a long-awaited comeback, returning to secretive payload lifts for the National Security Space Launch program with its heavy-lift Vulcan Centaur rocket. ULA's Vulcan is set to launch on Tuesday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station during an hour-long launch window that opens at 7:59 p.m. ET, marking the vehicle's first flight for the U.S. Space Force's national security program. It took years of development for the rocket to reach this stage, and its debut was further delayed by a booster anomaly during the second certification flight last year. Tuesday's mission is an important step for ULA as the company returns to the classified launch business with a new rocket and a lot to prove. The launch will be broadcast live on the company's YouTube page, and you can also tune in through the feed below. The 200-foot-tall (60-meter) rocket will carry an experimental navigation satellite developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, called NTS-3, to geostationary orbit, as well as a second mystery payload that has not been disclosed. 'We're not going to make any further comments on anything beyond NTS-3 in the mission stack,' Space Force Colonel Jim Horne told reporters on Monday, according to Payload. ULA earned its certification for national security launches following two test flights last year. The first launch went smoothly, but the rocket ran into trouble the second time around. Around 35 seconds after liftoff, a plume of smoke appeared to be coming off one of its two boosters. The main purpose of the mission was to gather data for Vulcan's certification; the rocket was carrying a mass simulator (a dummy payload) and other instruments. Since there were no paying customers on Vulcan's flight, ULA absorbed the full cost of the launch. The booster anomaly, which took place in October 2024, resulted in months of delays before the Space Force finally gave ULA the green light to launch its payloads. 'We've done a couple of full-scale static fires, extensive sub-scale analysis and modeling to get to launch [Tuesday] at an acceptable risk,' Horne said, according to Spaceflight Now. 'So, that's the process that we had to work through as we got ready for this mission and we handled that by our mission-specific certification process.' The vehicle was certified in March, and the Space Force then worked through mission-specific risk analysis before deciding on a launch date, Horne added. In the past few years, SpaceX has been the Space Force's main launch provider for classified missions. With Vulcan now on board, the Space Force can rest easy with two companies providing access to space instead of one. Vulcan is a mostly expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle, first conceived in 2006, with design elements similar to its predecessors: ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. It can carry up to 25.8 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 7 metric tons to geostationary orbit (GEO). By comparison, SpaceX's Falcon Heavy can lift up to 64 metric tons to LEO and 9 metric tons directly to GEO. ULA is aiming to fly nine missions this year and finally get to work on clearing some of its backlog for national security payloads set to launch on Vulcan.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
ULA Vulcan rocket launch in Florida: Visibility map shows far beyond Cape Canaveral
Godspeed, Vulcan! United Launch Alliance will launch its third Vulcan rocket into space carrying two U.S. national security satellites − and it's possible people can see the massive rocket far outside of Florida. When ULA launches its Vulcan rocket, depending on cloud cover, Floridians (and visitors) as far as Jacksonville, Cape Coral and Miami could see it light up the sky after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Visibility from most of Florida is possible, according to ULA. What's on board ULA Atlas V? Equipped with four solid rocket boosters, ULA's third Vulcan rocket will launch two U.S. national security satellites into geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles above Earth. On Aug. 7, the space agency released a movie poster promoting the ULA Vulcan rocket launch complete with taglines, "Precision. Power. Purpose." and "national security begins at liftoff." The company released a movie trailer that day, too. The movie poster, movie trailer and mission patch, for the "ULA Vulcan USSF-106" mission feature a strong, god-like figure wielding a hammer (like Marvel's Thor), all with the same message: Coming soon, Aug. 12, 2025. A day ahead of liftoff, ULA continued with its heavy social media promotion, posting photos and video of the rocket rollout to the launch pad. Business is booming: Florida's Space Coast is one of fastest-growing economies in U.S. In Florida, we can best see this moment in person, particularly if you're anywhere on the Space Coast (Melbourne, Florida area), the Fun Coast (Daytona Beach area) or the Treasure Coast (Vero Beach, Jensen Beach and Fort Pierce). When there's a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there's an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo. The ULA Vulcan rocket launch is extra special because of the potential to see it far beyond the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. In the past, readers have submitted photos or posted on social platforms pictures of SpaceX Falcon Heavy, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, visible from Myrtle Beach. Other rocket launches have been spotted in New Jersey and Georgia. ULA's Vulcan rocket could be visible for most of Florida pending weather and clouds. Below is information on ULA's powerful rocket, the Vulcan, how to watch the rocket launch and suggestions on where to watch it from Florida and beyond. Rocket launches in Florida (a big list): Here's a roundup of all 2025 missions from Cape Canaveral and NASA's Kennedy Space Center When is the next rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida? Tuesday, August 12: United Launch Alliance USSF-106 Mission: Equipped with four solid rocket boosters, ULA's third Vulcan rocket will launch two U.S. national security satellites into geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles above Earth. Launch window: 7:59 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. ET Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 Trajectory: Due east Launch location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida Sonic booms: No Live coverage starts two hours before liftoff at : You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Network's Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at starting two hours before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type into your browser. ULA Vulcan rocket launch photos in Florida: How big is Vulcan? Where in Florida can I watch ULA Vulcan liftoff, rocket launch in person? In Florida, we can best see this moment in person if you're anywhere on the Space Coast (Brevard County) or certain spots in the First Coast or Fun Coast (Volusia County) or the Treasure Coast (Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County). However, people in Jacksonville, far north of Cape Canaveral, and West Palm Beach, far south of Cape Canaveral, have posted rocket launch photos and video on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. Pro tip: If you do watch it in person, especially on Florida's Space Coast, get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic. A rocket launch can be a treat for the ears, too: On the Space Coast, a 'rumble' can be heard or window-shaking can be expected in some parts of Brevard County after liftoff. Where to watch ULA Vulcan rocket launch in Daytona Beach area of Florida List of Brevard County cities to watch ULA Vulcan rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida Where to watch ULA Vulcan rocket launch from Treasure Coast of Florida Where to watch ULA Vulcan rocket launch from West Palm Beach area of Florida Where to watch ULA Vulcan rocket launch in Jacksonville, Florida Live weather radar: Will it rain in Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch near NASA and Kennedy Space Center? Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache. Which cities can see ULA Atlas V rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida? Can I watch Amazon satellite rocket launch from Florida? ULA provided a helpful graphic (see above) that shows the Vulcan rocket launch and its intended flight path and launch visibility. Its trajectory is due east. Note: Cities in the Space Coast of Florida, which is in Brevard County and measures 72 miles of coast, include Titusville, Mims, Port St. John, Merritt Island, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, West Melbourne, Palm Bay, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Grant-Valkaria and Sebastian. Launch, Space Coast, east Orlando, near University of Central Florida, Bithlo, the northern part of the Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Sebastian, Vero Beach, parts of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill 1: Launch + 30 seconds, which includes solid rocket booster jettison, Space Coast, Orlando, the Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill, Volusia County, St. Augustine, Ocala, Lakeland area 2: Launch + 90 seconds, Space Coast, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill, Port Orange, Volusia County, Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Martin County, St. Lucie County, Orlando, Sanford, Kissimmee, Central Florida, Ocala, Lakeland, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach, parts of the Caribbean, the Bahamas 3: Launch + 150 seconds, which includes PLF Jettison (or jettison of the payload fairing) and booster separation, visibility extends to Sebring, Winter Haven, Palatka, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Manatee County, Sarasota County, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Collier County, Lee County, Clearwater, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Wellington, Jupiter, Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, possibly the coast of southern Georgia, the Caribbean, the Bahamas 4: Launch + 210 seconds, Sebring, Winter Haven, Palatka, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Manatee County, Sarasota County, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Collier County, Lee County, Clearwater; visibility extends beyond Florida to Georgia, South Carolina, parts of North Carolina 5: Launch + 270 seconds, ULA Vulcan rocket launch visibility extends beyond Florida to these other locations: Turks and Caicos 6: Launch + 330 seconds, ULA Vulcan rocket launch visibility extends beyond Florida to these other locations: Turks and Caicos Bermuda 7: Launch + 390 seconds, visibility of Vulcan rocket may be possible here: Turks and Caicos Bermuda The above guidelines are estimates based on the graphic provided by ULA. Photos of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in Cape Canaveral, Florida How to watch ULA Vulcan rocket launch from Cape Canaveral Florida, what time does ULA Vulcan liftoff? How to watch online, from your phone, iPad or tablet with USA TODAY Network Space Team coverage When and where: Full coverage of the launch, including a live webcast with live tweets and updates, kicks off two hours before liftoff at (you can type this on your browser on your phone) and will feature in-depth coverage. Ask our FLORIDA TODAY space team reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards questions and strike up a conversation. You also can watch coverage via the FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play. You can download the free app for iPhone or Android or type into your browser. FLORIDA TODAY is part of the USA TODAY Network. Click here to download FLORIDA TODAY app on App Store Click here to download FLORIDA TODAY app on Google Play Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Who can see Vulcan launch in Florida? ULA visibility map after liftoff Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
ULA Vulcan launch today: Everything to know about USSF-106 launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida
Space fans on Florida's Space Coast may see a sunset United Launch Alliance rocket launch tonight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. ULA is targeting an hourlong window from 7:59 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. to launch a 202-foot Vulcan rocket with six solid rocket boosters from Launch Complex 41. Sunset will occur at 8:04 p.m., per The Old Farmer's Almanac The Vulcan will follow a due-east trajectory during the USSF-106 national security mission for the Space Force's Space Systems Command. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron predicted 80% odds of "go for launch" weather, citing cumulus clouds and a low-to-moderate risk of solar activity as low-probability risks. No Brevard County sonic booms should occur. Check back for live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team launch coverage updates on this page, starting about two hours before the launch window opens. When ULA's live webcast begins about 7:39 p.m., we'll post it below next to our countdown clock. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming NASA, SpaceX, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Countdown Timer For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: ULA Vulcan rocket launch today: What to know before liftoff from Florida Solve the daily Crossword
