ULA Prepares Vulcan Rocket Upgrade to Compete with SpaceX’s Starship
United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, plans to upgrade its Vulcan rocket to better compete with SpaceX’s Starship in the growing low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market. Tory Bruno, ULA’s CEO, shared these plans during a military space conference in Orlando, highlighting the need to adapt to the evolving demands of this lucrative market.
Targeting the Expanding LEO Market
ULA aims to position its Vulcan rocket as a strong contender in the LEO satellite launch industry, where SpaceX has gained dominance by launching thousands of Starlink satellites. Bruno explained that the company has conducted an extensive study to develop a Vulcan variant capable of carrying significantly more payload to LEO, placing it in a competitive range.
Options under consideration include a “Vulcan Heavy,” which involves strapping three Vulcan boosters together, and other unique configurations featuring propulsion systems in unconventional locations. The upgraded Vulcan is expected to be ready by the time SpaceX’s Starship becomes commercially viable for large-scale LEO satellite deployments, which Bruno predicts could still be years away.
Competing in a Crowded Market
SpaceX’s Starship, though primarily designed for lunar and Mars missions, is also intended to support rapid deployment of Starlink satellites. This has created pressure on competitors like ULA to match its capabilities. Meanwhile, Amazon is building its Kuiper satellite network to rival Starlink and has booked Vulcan missions alongside other rockets to meet its ambitious launch targets.
ULA has already secured around 70 missions for Vulcan, including several from Amazon, making it a key player in the internet satellite race. The Vulcan rocket, which starts at $110 million per launch, is slightly more expensive than SpaceX’s Falcon 9 but offers competitive features designed for diverse missions.
Looking Ahead for ULA
This year, Vulcan successfully completed its first two launches using engines supplied by Blue Origin. ULA is now aiming to fly eight Vulcan missions in 2024 and 12 more using its predecessor, the Atlas V. Unlike SpaceX’s iterative testing approach, ULA finalises designs before launching, prioritising reliability.
As the company works to refine Vulcan’s capabilities, its future remains uncertain. ULA, formed in 2006 through a merger of Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s space divisions, has been on the market for over a year, with interest reportedly coming from Sierra Space and Blue Origin. Bruno, however, declined to comment on acquisition discussions.
With inputs from Reuters