ULA Vulcan VC4S – USSF‑106
Add This Event to Your CalendarDate: Aug 12, 2025
Location: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
Launch Time: between 7:59 and 8:59 p.m. EDT (2359-0059 UTC)
Rocket: ULA Vulcan Centaur VC4S (four GEM‑63XL solid boosters, dual BE‑4 main engines)
Orbit: Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO)
Mission Type: National Security Space Launch (NSSL) / U.S. Space Force Technology Demonstration
Mission Overview
This will be ULA’s first National Security Space Launch (NSSL) using the new Vulcan Centaur—marking a milestone in U.S. heavy-lift launch capability The primary payload is the Navigation Technology Satellite‑3 (NTS‑3), a U.S. Space Force experimental satellite designed to test adaptive digital navigation signals and anti‑spoofing/jamming resilience.
The launch also includes additional classified payloads, deploying directly into geostationary orbit via Vulcan’s robust trajectory capability
Notable Features & Significance
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First U.S. Space Force payload launched on Vulcan
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Demonstrates on-orbit reconfigurable navigation signals via NTS‑3
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Validates Vulcan’s VC4S configuration for future classified and government missions
Vehicle Configuration
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First Stage: BE‑4 methane/LOX engines (2× at 2,400 kN thrust each)
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Boosters: Four GEM‑63XL solid rocket boosters for added lift
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Upper Stage: Centaur V second stage for precision orbital insertion