Overview
- Vulcan Centaur lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 4:22 a.m. Eastern, beginning a roughly 10-hour, direct-to-geosynchronous mission using the Centaur V upper stage.
- The rocket flew in the VC4S configuration with four GEM-63XL solid boosters; ULA reported an early-flight observation on one solid rocket motor and said the trajectory remained nominal as data are reviewed.
- The primary payload is the Space Force’s GSSAP space surveillance system for monitoring activity in GEO, with officials declining to confirm the number of satellites on board.
- A propulsive ESPA ring hosting research, development and training payloads will also be deployed near GEO to support tactics and resiliency work by Guardians.
- The launch is Vulcan’s fourth flight and second under NSSL as ULA pursues 18–22 missions in 2026, backed by new integration facilities, Vandenberg upgrades and a backlog exceeding 80 launches including Amazon’s 47-flight Amazon Leo order.