The United Launch Alliance has a target date for the maiden flight of its Vulcan Centaur rocket: May 4, 2023. Company chief Tory Bruno has Announced the four-day launch window beginning May 4 in a call with reporters, where he explained the factors that prompted the company to come up with the schedule.
According parabolic arc, the main “rhythm item” for the launch is Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine, which will power the first stage of the rocket. The companies are still working on their ratings, as they found some inconsistencies between what ULA has tested. While the performance variance wasn’t huge, the ULA wants to make sure it’s not a symptom of a larger problem.
ULA also has to run a series of tests for the heavy-lift launch vehicle, including a wet dress rehearsal, in which it will be fully loaded with propellants and has to complete a practice countdown. Finally, the Vulcan Centaur’s primary payload, Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lunar lander, must head into space within a specified amount of time each month in order to fly its desired trajectory to the moon.
Vulcan Centaur was supposed to have its maiden flight in 2022, but Astrobotic asked ULA to delay its launch to give it more time to finish the NASA-funded lunar lander. Bruno said that Astrobotic has just finished testing the Peregrine and will soon make final preparations before sending it to the rocket launch site at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
In addition to the lunar lander, the rocket will also carry two prototype satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper constellation into space. The deployment of the demo satellites will give Amazon the opportunity to collect real-world data in order to finalize design and operation plans for its broadband satellite system.
If Vulcan Centaur flies successfully for the first time on May 4, it will usher in a new era for ULA. He plans to eventually replace the Delta IV Heavy and Atlas rockets with the Vulcan Centaur once he is done with his remaining release obligations.
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