United Launch Alliance (ULA) unveiled its Next Generation Launch System (NGLS), the Vulcan rocket at the 31st Space Symposium being held...
United Launch Alliance (ULA) unveiled its Next Generation Launch System (NGLS), the Vulcan rocket at the 31st Space Symposium being held at Colo, U.S. from April 13-16.
The new rocket is a part of company's drive to reduce launch costs as its US national security payload launch monopoly will be challenged with the certification SpaceX Falcon 9 later this year.
The NGLS combines the best feature of ULA’s present Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, to produce an all-new, American-made rocket that will enable mission success from low Earth orbit all the way to Pluto.
A unique launch cost reducing feature of the Vulcan is the Sensible, Modular, Autonomous Return Technology (SMART) initiative, which will allow reuse of the most expensive portion of the first stage – the booster main engines – via mid-air capture using a helicopter. This allows a controlled recovery environment providing the confidence needed to re-fly the hardware.
The initial NGLS will consist of a single booster stage, the high-energy Centaur second stage and either a 4- or 5-meter-diameter payload fairing. Up to four solid rocket boosters (SRB) augment the lift off power of the 4-meter configuration, while up to six SRBs can be added to the 5-meter version.
In this configuration, initial launch capability is planned for 2019, and Vulcan will exceed the capability of Atlas V.
In phase two, the Centaur second stage will be replaced by the more powerful, innovative Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES), making the NGLS capability that of today’s Delta IV Heavy rocket. ACES can execute almost unlimited burns, extending on-orbit operating time from hours to weeks.
Last year, ULA announced that it had partnered with Blue Origin, LLC, a privately funded aerospace company owned by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, to provide a cutting-edge engine for the NGLS while also providing a viable alternative to the Russian-made RD-180.
The BE-4 rocket engine is designed for low recurring cost and will meet commercial and NASA requirements as well as those of the U.S. Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The BE-4 uses low-cost liquid natural gas fuel.
