Manufacturing defect blamed for lost nozzle on second Vulcan launch
Posted: Sun, Mar 16, 2025, 3:21 PM ET (1921 GMT)
United Launch Alliance has found and corrected a manufacturing defect that caused a solid rocket motor nozzle to fall off on a Vulcan launch last year. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said Wednesday that an investigation into the incident on the Cert-2 launch last October identified the defect in one of the internal parts of the nozzle, and that they had made corrective actions verified in a static-fire test of the motor last month. Bruno said the company is still awaiting certification of Vulcan by the Space Force for national security missions but has provided the service with all the information it requested to complete that work. ULA is planning a dozen launches this year, split roughly evenly between Atlas and Vulcan and between national security and commercial missions.
United Launch Alliance has found and corrected a manufacturing defect that caused a solid rocket motor nozzle to fall off on a Vulcan launch last year. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said Wednesday that an investigation into the incident on the Cert-2 launch last October identified the defect in one of the internal parts of the nozzle, and that they had made corrective actions verified in a static-fire test of the motor last month. Bruno said the company is still awaiting certification of Vulcan by the Space Force for national security missions but has provided the service with all the information it requested to complete that work. ULA is planning a dozen launches this year, split roughly evenly between Atlas and Vulcan and between national security and commercial missions.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
FAA restricts hours for commercial launches during shutdown
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 9:05 AM ET (1405 GMT) China postpones Shenzhou-20 return on orbital debris concerns
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 8:58 AM ET (1358 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, November 15
Emirates to put Starlink on aircraft in major win for SpaceX
Bloomberg News — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) DOJ Issued Seizure Warrant to Starlink Over Satellite Internet Systems Used at Scam Compound
Wired News — 5:09 am ET (1009 GMT) New Glenn Rocket Aces Launch and Landing, Setting Up Space Force for More Options
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 5:06 am ET (1006 GMT) Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket landed its booster on a barge at sea – an achievement that will broaden the commercial spaceflight market
The Conversation — 5:05 am ET (1005 GMT) Second Viasat Broadband Satellite Enters Space
Aviation Week — 5:04 am ET (1004 GMT) |
