The US Space Force is reconsidering launch provider allocations due to recurring technical issues with ULA's Vulcan rocket, including two solid rocket booster nozzle failures in recent launches. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant confirmed these reliability problems will directly influence future Pentagon launch procurement decisions. This may lead to a significant shift of military launches from ULA to SpaceX.
Background
The US military relies on two primary launch providers - ULA's Vulcan and SpaceX's Falcon 9 - for critical satellite deployments. Vulcan has experienced multiple technical setbacks despite being a newer entrant.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Apr 16, 2026 at 02:33 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10