ULA Aims to Equip Its Spacecraft with Capabilities to Safeguard American Space Resources
ULA Aims to Equip Its Spacecraft with Capabilities to Safeguard American Space Resources
The 243.8-meter-tall Vulcan Centaur rocket holds potential beyond merely launching satellites into orbit. While awaiting approval to carry military payloads, United Launch Alliance (ULA) proposes that the Vulcan could also be utilized to ward off threats in space and safeguard U.S. assets orbitally.
At the Spacepower Conference held recently, ULA CEO Tory Bruno disclosed alternate strategies for the heavy-lift launch vehicle, as per SpaceNews's report. Bruno's proposal includes repurposing the rocket's upper stage as a "space interceptor" to repel attacks against the U.S. Space Force's assets in space. "Our ambition is a platform that is incredibly swift, has a long-range, and if required, is extremely potent," he stated during the conference. "What I've been working on is essentially a rocket that functions in space."
The 202-foot (61.6-meter) Vulcan Centaur is an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle conceived in 2006, borrowing elements from both ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. It made its debut on January 8, launching Astrobotic's Peregrine lander towards the Moon. The initial flight was originally scheduled for 2019 but faced delays due to challenges and setbacks.
Vulcan Centaur is significant for the commercial space industry and U.S. national security. With the Vulcan rocket, ULA aims to challenge industry leader SpaceX. The U.S. military has become increasingly reliant on SpaceX for launching its payloads to orbit, a market share previously dominated by ULA.
However, the Vulcan isn't yet cleared to carry military payloads. The rocket conduced its second certification flight in October, but ULA's premier launch vehicle encountered a hurdle. After a successful launch, an issue arose around 35 seconds into flight, with a plume of material seeming to emanate from one of its two boosters.
The main objective of the Cert-2 mission was for the U.S. Space Force to endorse Vulcan for national security missions, with the rocket scheduled to transport two U.S. military payloads into orbit this year. The suboptimal flight postponed the rocket's certification process.
Bruno's recent idea of turning the rocket into a space superhero might be a last-ditch effort as ULA lags behind its primary competitor, SpaceX. During the conference, the ULA CEO suggested that upgrading Vulcan's upper stage to serve as a long-duration spacecraft capable of rapid response to incoming threats.
"We understand that the Chinese will target us in space," Bruno said, as per SpaceNews. "If we observe an attack developing where a Chinese asset is approaching something we value for several days or a week, we have something we can position there in a few hours and disrupt that attack before it commences."
Mentioning China's escalating abilities in space serves as a rallying cry. Nevertheless, Bruno's comments represent a broader concern shared by both national and commercial space players: that space is heading towards a militarized future where orbital warfare may become inevitable.
In light of the potential threats in the future space environment, Tory Bruno suggested repurposing the Vulcan Centaur's upper stage as a "space interceptor" equipped with advanced technology and scientific capabilities, capable of disrupting any incoming threats quickly. The long-term vision of this upgraded version of Vulcan is to safeguard U.S. assets in space and maintain a strong presence in the increasingly militarized space sector.