Once again, ULA can't deliver when the US military needs a satellite in orbit
Ars Technica • • general
Key Points:
- The US Space Force has shifted the launch of its final GPS Block III satellite from United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Vulcan rocket to SpaceX's Falcon 9 due to recurring problems with ULA's rocket solid boosters.
- ULA's Vulcan rocket, delayed from its initial 2020 debut to 2024, has experienced multiple booster failures, prompting an ongoing investigation and grounding of the rocket until resolved.
- Space Systems Command had initially assigned launches to ULA's Vulcan, but due to technical issues, several GPS satellite launches have been reassigned to SpaceX, which offers more flexible and frequent launch options.
- ULA, once the sole US military launch provider, has lost market share to SpaceX following
