Vulcan Rocket Ushers in New Era of National Security Space Launch

First National Security Space Launch aboard Vulcan rocket delivers
USSF-106 spacecraft directly to GEO

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla., Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-106 mission for the United States Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) lifted off on Aug. 12 at 8:56 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This mission marks the first National Security Space Launch aboard the next-generation Vulcan rocket.

"National security begins at liftoff," said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. "Vulcan did exactly what it was built to do: deliver a critical mission with power, precision and confidence. We are proud to play a role in strengthening the nation's space capabilities."

Standing at 202 feet tall and weighing 1.74 million pounds, the Vulcan configuration is enabled by the powerful Centaur V upper stage, which has 2.5 times the energy and 450 times the endurance of its predecessors. Centaur V delivered the USSF-106 spacecraft directly to the Geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO).

"Vulcan is a catalyst to supporting national defense in the strategic warfighting domain of space," said Tory Bruno, ULA president and CEO. "Vulcan is the world's most capable, high energy orbit rocket meeting the demand for expanding space competencies. Vulcan provides flexibility to our nation's decision makers as we combat our adversaries attempts to disrupt the U.S. in space operations. This launch begins a new era in national space security."

ULA has served as the launch backbone for our past national security space missions having successfully launched nearly all of the 132 critical missions to orbit for the U.S. Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office since the company's founding in 2006. This legacy, built on Atlas V, Delta II and Delta IV rockets, now continues with Vulcan.

ULA's next launch is the third Atlas mission for Amazon's Project Kuiper, Kuiper 3, which will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

For two decades, ULA has served as the custodian of America's national security space mission. Our rockets fly to the most challenging and exotic orbits the nation requires, while delivering the most accurate payload insertions in the world. ULA continues to carry this unique capability forward with the new Vulcan rocket, the latest and most advanced vehicle of this type. Utilizing an innovative, modular architectural approach, Vulcan has expanded into the commercial LEO marketplace, providing efficient access to all orbits into the foreseeable future. With even more innovative technology on our horizon, the sky is definitely not the limit. 

For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com and join the conversation on social media @ulalaunch.

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SOURCE United Launch Alliance (ULA)