A robust new rocket is all stacked up.
The Vulcan Centaur, a next-generation booster from long-time rocket maker United Launch Alliance (ULA), has been assembled at Cape Canaveral Area Drive Station in Florida forward of its debut launch, which is focused to happen within the subsequent few months.
Stacking occurred on Jan. 25 and Jan. 26. Testing of the rocket levels, launch platform and floor techniques are anticipated “over the subsequent few weeks” earlier than Vulcan rolls out to the launch pad for gasoline loading and countdown apply, ULA officers wrote in a blog post (opens in new tab) on Monday (Feb. 6).
As soon as that is all accomplished, Vulcan will full floor testing with a simulated countdown and a quick firing of its principal engines to get it prepared for its first mission, referred to as Certification Flight-1.
Associated: United Launch Alliance’s 1st Vulcan Centaur rocket arrives in Florida for debut flight
Embarking on a daring new period to broaden inexpensive entry to space, the inaugural ULA #VulcanRocket now stands assembled at its Florida launch web site for pre-flight testing! #CountdowntoVulcanRead extra within the weblog: https://t.co/Nx7YazbXiz pic.twitter.com/rohxGf3QOoFebruary 6, 2023
Vulcan Centaur will substitute ULA’s long-standing Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, that are licensed for business, authorities and nationwide safety missions by the U.S. Space Force.Â
Vulcan Centaur is a 202-foot-tall (67 meters) rocket outfitted with a Centaur V higher stage and as much as six stable rocket boosters. The primary stage is powered by two BE-4 methane-liquid oxygen engines constructed by Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight firm.
Certification-1 is tentatively focused for the primary quarter of 2023. The mission will loft two demonstration satellites for Amazon’s Undertaking Kuiper broadband constellation, together with a Celestis Memorial Spaceflight payload and a business moon lander referred to as Peregrine.Â
Pittsburgh-based firm Astrobotic, the maker of Peregrine, is aiming to be one of many first personal outfits to land on the moon in 2023; given a number of missions are en route or readying for lunar launch, it’s arduous to foretell if Peregrine shall be first on the floor.
Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of “Why Am I Taller (opens in new tab)?” (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a e-book about space medication. Observe her on Twitter @howellspace (opens in new tab). Observe us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or Facebook (opens in new tab).
