United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA) is an American launch service provider formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The company designs, assembles, sells and launches rockets, but the company subcontracts out the production of rocket engines and solid rocket boosters.

When founded, the company inherited the Atlas rocket family from Lockheed Martin and the Delta rocket family from Boeing. As of 2024, the Delta family has been retired and the Atlas V is in the process of being retired. ULA began development of the Vulcan Centaur in 2014 as replacement for both the Atlas and Delta rocket families. The Vulcan Centaur completed its maiden flight in January 2024.

The primary customers of ULA are the Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA, but it also serves commercial clients.

Company history

Formation

Boeing and Lockheed Martin announced on 2 May 2005 that they would establish a 50/50 joint venture, United Launch Alliance (ULA), to consolidate their space launch operations.

The two companies had long competed for launch services contracts from the DoD, and their Atlas and Delta rockets were the two launch vehicles selected under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The DoD had hoped the program would foster the creation of a strong, competitive commercial launch market. However, both companies said that this competition had made space launches unprofitable. Boeing's future in the program was also threatened in 2003 when it was found to be in possession of proprietary documents from Lockheed Martin. To end litigation and competition, both companies agreed to form the ULA joint venture. During the renewal of the EELV contract, the DoD said the merger would provide annual cost savings of $100–150 million.

SpaceX attempted to challenge the merger on anti-trust grounds, saying it would create a space launch monopoly. The Federal Trade Commission ultimately granted ULA anti-trust clearance, prioritizing national security access to space over potential competition concerns.

Michael Gass era (2005–2014)

Michael Gass was announced as the first CEO of ULA and oversaw the merger of the two groups. Production was consolidated into one central plant in Decatur, Alabama while all engineering was moved into a facility in Littleton, Colorado. The parent companies retained responsibility for marketing and sales of the Delta and Atlas rockets.

Cost pressures led ULA to announce it would lay off 350 of its 4,200 workers in early 2009, and decommissioned two of its seven launch pads. ULA also joined and later left the Commercial Spaceflight Federation during this period.

The introduction of lower-cost competition and rising ULA launch costs attracted scrutiny. ULA's reliance on government funding for launch readiness, including maintaining multiple launchpads and rocket variants, became a point of discussion, particularly as the EELV program experienced a cost breach in 2012.

ULA was awarded a DoD contract in December 2013 to provide 36 rocket cores for up to 28 launches. The award drew protest from SpaceX, which said the cost of ULA's launches were approximately US$460 million each and proposed a price of US$90 million to provide similar launches. In response, Gass said ULA's average launch price was US$225 million, with future launches as low as US$100 million.

Tory Bruno era (2014 onward)

In August 2014, Tory Bruno became CEO of ULA. Bruno's appointment came as ULA faced pressure to develop a next-generation launch vehicle and reduce costs to better compete with SpaceX and its partially reusable rockets. The company's high launch costs left it with few commercial and civil satellite customers, making it increasingly reliant on U.S. military and intelligence contracts, which were also under competitive threat from SpaceX. Additionally, ULA faced pressure to replace its Russian-made RD-180 engines with Western alternatives following the Russian annexation of Crimea. In 2016, Congress passed a law prohibiting the military from procuring launch services using the RD-180 after 2022.

To reduce costs, ULA underwent major restructuring, cutting its workforce from 3,600 to 2,500 by 2018 and consolidating operations from five launch pads to two. To develop a replacement engine, ULA partnered with Blue Origin on the BE-4, which became the core of its next-generation Vulcan Centaur rocket. Vulcan was designed to lower costs and increase competitiveness in the commercial market, combining technologies from the Delta and Atlas families with new innovations.

Despite these efforts, ULA's services remained more expensive than SpaceX's. Its joint bid with Dynetics for a NASA lunar lander was rejected in 2021 as "low in readiness." The Delta rocket family was retired in 2024. While the vehicle supported critical national security and NASA missions, it was expensive and slow to manufacture, limiting its commercial viability. The Falcon Heavy effectively captured its commercial market share. ULA stockpiled approximately 100 RD-180 engines for the Atlas V to fulfill remaining contracts, with no new orders planned.

In 2022, Amazon selected ULA as one of its launch providers for Project Kuiper, a satellite internet constellation, awarding 9 launches on Atlas V and 38 on Vulcan Centaur, out of 83 total launches, marking ULA’s largest-ever commercial contract.

By late 2023, Boeing and Lockheed Martin were seeking to sell ULA, with potential buyers including Blue Origin, Cerberus Capital Management, and Textron. Reports in mid-2024 indicated Sierra Space was in advanced talks to acquire ULA. As of 2025, however, the company had not been sold.

In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded ULA a $5.3 billion contract for 19 missions as part of a multibillion-dollar procurement covering approximately 80 national security launches between 2025 and 2034. SpaceX received the majority of missions (28), while Blue Origin was awarded seven.

Military officials expressed growing frustration with ULA over ongoing delays in the Vulcan program. In testimony to the House Armed Services Committee in May 2025, Major General Stephen G. Purdy called the rocket's recent performance "unsatisfactory," noting that slow progress in replacing the Atlas and Delta launch vehicles had postponed four national security missions. These delays, he said, disrupted the Space Force’s ability to meet key objectives. Purdy added that ULA would need to "repair trust" and demonstrate greater accountability.

Products

When the joint venture was founded in 2006, ULA inherited the Atlas rocket family from Lockheed Martin and the Delta rocket family from Boeing. As of 2024, the Delta family has been retired and the Atlas V is in the process of being retired. ULA began development of the Vulcan Centaur in 2014 as replacement for both the Atlas and Delta rocket families.

Vulcan Centaur

The Vulcan Centaur is a heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by ULA integrating technology from both its prior Atlas and Delta rocket families along with advancements. Vulcan has been designed to meet the requirements of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program and be capable of achieving human-rating certification to allow the launch of a vehicle such as the Boeing Starliner or Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser.

The rocket was developed as ULA faced pressure to respond to growing competition from SpaceX and its reusable rockets and the need to phase out the RD-180 engine used on the Atlas V, which is built in Russia, and subject to international sanctions after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Vulcan Centaur has a maximum liftoff thrust of , enabling it to carry to low Earth orbit, to a geostationary transfer orbit, and to geostationary orbit.

The Vulcan first stage is the same size as the Delta family's Common Booster Core, uses two BE-4 engines built by Blue Origin and fueled by liquid oxygen and liquid methane (liquefied natural gas). The second stage is the Centaur V, an improved version of the Centaur III used on the Atlas, which is powered by two RL10 engines built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The first stage can be supplemented by up to six GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters built by Northrop Grumman.

ULA is investigating a way to partially reuse its launch vehicles with the Sensible Modular Autonomous Return Technology (SMART) system. This system envisions jettisoning the BE-4 engines and avionics as a single unit which would be protected by an inflatable heat shield during its descent back to Earth. After being slowed by parachutes and splashing down in the ocean, the heat shield would double as a raft, and the engines and avionics module would be retrieved for refurbishment. ULA estimates that this approach could reduce the cost of producing the first stage of its rockets by 65%.

Development of the Vulcan Centaur has been funded as a public–private partnership with the U.S. government contributing approximately US$1.2 billion toward initial development costs. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are expected to contribute the remaining cost of development, estimated at 75% of the cost, as of March 2018.

In October 2018, the NSSL program purchased a prototype Vulcan mission to be launched in 2019. In August 2020 ULA was awarded a contract to launch 60% of NSSL missions over a 5-year period beginning in 2022. However, Vulcan Centaur was delayed repeatedly. The inaugural flight occurred on January 8, 2024, successfully sending the Peregrine lunar lander into orbit toward the moon. This launch was intended to allow Astrobotic Technology to conduct five lunar experiments for NASA.

ULA completed a second test flight, named Cert-2, of the Vulcan Centaur on the morning of October 4, 2024 at Cape Canaveral. The Space Force will examine the flight data to determine if Vulcan Centaur will be certified for national security missions.

Atlas V

Developed by Lockheed Martin and transitioned to ULA in 2006, the Atlas V has been ULA's primary launch vehicle for over two decades. However, the rocket is currently nearing retirement, with all remaining flights booked and no new orders accepted. As of July 2024, Atlas V has completed 101 missions, with 15 launches scheduled. The rocket has been offered in eleven configurations, though only the "551" and "N22" remain operational.

Born from the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, the Atlas V's first successful launch took place in 2002. This expendable launch system utilizes a two-stage design. The first stage, named the Common Core Booster, uses a single Russian-made RD-180 engine, fueled by kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second stage, a Centaur III powered by the RL10 engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The first stage can be supplemented by up to five AJ-60A or GEM 63 solid rocket boosters.

The Atlas V has undergone modifications for human spaceflight, specifically for Boeing's Starliner capsule. These modifications include upgraded computers for monitoring and abort capabilities, data links, and manual abort mechanisms for the crew. Notably, Starliner missions use a unique Atlas V configuration: two solid rocket boosters, no payload fairing, and a dual-engine Centaur second stage for a shallower launch profile and reduced crew G-forces. This configuration stands 172 feet tall, and ULA was contracted for nine Starliner missions with Atlas V.

Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) provides the second stage boost for the initial configuration (Block 1) of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). The ICPS design was based on the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage employed by ULA's Delta launch vehicles. The ICPS is positioned atop the SLS core stage and directly below the Orion spacecraft. The ICPS has a cylindrical liquid hydrogen tank, structurally designed to bear launch loads, while the liquid oxygen and single RL10B-2 engine are suspended from the hydrogen tank and are covered by the interstage during launch. Only three ICPS stages were ever built, one for each of the Artemis I, II, and III missions. Following these missions, the ICPS will be replaced by the Exploration Upper Stage built by Boeing.

Retired

Delta II

Delta II was an expendable launch system that was originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas, and was later built by Boeing prior to the formation of ULA. Delta II was part of the Delta rocket family and entered service in 1989. ULA flew thirty missions using Delta II starting in 2006. Delta II vehicles included the Delta 6000 and the two later Delta 7000 variants ("Light" and "Heavy"). The rocket flew its final mission ICESat-2 on 15 September 2018. A nearly-complete Delta II, made from flight-qualified spare parts, is displayed in its 7320-10 configuration in the rocket garden at Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex.

Delta IV

Delta IV is a group of five expendable launch systems in the Delta rocket family, which was introduced in the early 2000s. The Delta IV was originally designed by Boeing's Defense, Space & Security division for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, and became a ULA product in 2006. The Delta IV was mostly used for launching United States Air Force military payloads but was also used to launch a number of U.S. government non-military payloads and one commercial satellite. Delta IV had two main versions, which allowed the family to accommodate a range of payload sizes and masses; models includes Medium, which had four configurations, and the Heavy. Payloads that would previously fly on Medium moved to either Atlas V or Vulcan Centaur.

Delta IV Heavy

Delta IV Heavy was the largest member of the Delta IV family. Boeing flew it on one mission prior to the formation of ULA, and ULA on fifteen missions from 2007 to 2024. Its final launch was April 9, 2024 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Delta IV Heavy combined a diameter DCSS and payload fairing with two additional CBCs. These are strap-on boosters which are separated earlier in the flight than the center CBC. The 5 meter diameter composite fairing was standard on the Delta IV Heavy, with an aluminum isogrid fairing also available. The aluminum trisector (three-part) fairing was built by Boeing and derived from a Titan IV fairing. The trisector fairing was first used on the DSP-23 flight. Delta IV Heavy had 16 launches in its lifetime.

Launch history

Statistics are up-to-date .

2006–2009

The first launch conducted by ULA was a Delta II from Vandenberg Space Force Base on 14 December 2006, carrying the satellite USA-193 for the National Reconnaissance Office. The satellite failed shortly after launch and was intentionally destroyed on 21 February 2008, by an SM-3 missile that was fired from the . ULA's first Atlas V launch was in March 2007; it was an Atlas V variant 401 launching six military research satellites for Space Test Program (STP) 1. This mission also performed three burns of the Centaur upper stage; it was the first three-burn mission for Atlas V.

ULA's first commercial mission COSMO-SkyMed was launched on behalf of Italy's Ministry of Defense three months later using a Delta II rocket. On June 15, 2007, the engine in the Centaur upper stage of a ULA-launched Atlas V shut down early, leaving its payload – a pair of NROL-30 ocean surveillance satellites – in a lower than intended orbit. The NRO declared the launch a success.

2007 also saw ULA's first two interplanetary spacecraft launches using the Delta II; the '' Phoenix'' probe was launched to Mars in August 2007 and the ''Dawn'' satellite to was launched to the asteroids Vesta and Ceres in September 2007. Using a Delta II, the '' WorldView-1'' satellite was also launched into a low Earth orbit on behalf of DigitalGlobe. The company's first launch to geostationary transfer orbit using an Atlas V 421 variant carrying the USA-195 (or WGS-1) communications satellite also occurred that year. ULA's tenth mission was launching satellite GPS IIR-17 into medium Earth orbit on a Delta II. The company completed its first Delta IV launch using the Delta IV Heavy rocket to place a payload into geosynchronous orbit in November 2007, which was followed by three more launches in December 2007.

2008 saw seven launches, including Atlas V's from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 3E and five others using the Delta II. The Atlas launch carried NROL-28 in March 2008 and in September 2008 the '' GeoEye-1'' satellite was orbited by a Delta II rocket. ULA completed eight Delta II, five Atlas V, and three Delta IV launches in 2009. The Delta II launches carried three Space Tracking and Surveillance System satellites over two launches, two Global Positioning System satellites, and the NOAA-19 and ''WorldView-2'' satellites, as well as the Kepler and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer space telescopes.

The Atlas launches carried the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS mission as part of the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program, which was later intentionally crashed into the Moon and found the existence of water; other 2009 Atlas V launches in included Intelsat 14, WGS-2, PAN, and a weather satellite as part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The Delta IV rockets carried the NROL-26, GOES 14, and WGS-3 satellites.

2010–2014

In 2010, Atlas V launches deployed the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the first Boeing X-37B, the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite, and the NROL-41. The Delta II system placed the last COSMO-SkyMed and Delta IV launches deployed the GOES 15, GPS Block IIF, and USA-223 satellites. ULA completed eleven launches in 2011, including five by Atlas, three by Delta II, and three by Delta IV. The Atlas system orbited another Boeing X-37, two NROL-34 signals intelligence satellites, a Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellite, the '' Juno'' spacecraft and ''Curiosity'' rover. The Delta II launches placed the SAC-D and Suomi NPP satellites into orbit, as well as two spacecraft associated with NASA's GRAIL lunar mission. Delta IV launches carried the NROL-49, NROL-27, and another GPS satellite.

ULA's 2012 launches included six Atlas Vs and four Delta IVs. The Atlas system carried Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) and AEHF satellites, another Boeing X-37, the Intruder and Quasar satellites, and the Van Allen Probes. Delta IVs deployed GPS and WGS satellites USA-233, as well as NROL-25 and NROL-15 on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office.

In 2013, the Atlas flew eight times. The system launched the TDRS-11, Landsat 8, AEHF-3, and NROL-39 satellites, as well as SBIRS, GPS, and MUOS satellites, as well as NASA's MAVEN space probe to Mars. Delta IV launches orbited the fifth and sixth Wideband Global SATCOM satellites WGS-5 and WGS-6, as well as NROL-65.

In 2014, ULA's Atlas V orbited the TDRS-12 communications satellite in January, the '' WorldView-3'' commercial satellite in August 2014, and the CLIO communications satellite during September and October 2014. Atlas rockets also carried the satellites DMSP-5D-3/F19, NROL-67, NROL-33, and NROL-35. Delta IV rockets orbited GPS satellites and two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites, and in July 2014, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 was carried by a Delta II. Orion's first test flight was launched by a Delta IV Heavy rocket in December 2014, as part of Exploration Flight Test-1.

2015–2019

A Delta II rocket orbited a Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite in January 2015. In March 2015, an Atlas V rocket carried NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission spacecraft, and a Delta IV rocket orbited the GPS IIF-9 satellite on behalf of the U.S. Air Force. The U.S. Air Force's X-37B spaceplane was carried by an Atlas V rocket in May 2015, and a Delta IV orbited the WGS-7 satellite in July 2015. The fourth MUOS satellite was orbited by an Atlas V in September 2015. ULA's 100th consecutive successful liftoff was completed on 2 October 2015, when an Atlas V rocket orbited a Mexican Satellite System communications satellite on behalf of the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation. The classified NROL-55 satellite was launched by an Atlas V rocket several days later. Atlas V rockets launched GPS Block IIF satellites and the '' Cygnus'' cargo spacecraft in November 2015 and December 2015, respectively.

In 2016, Delta IV rockets carried the NROL-45 satellite and Air Force Space Command 6 mission in February 2016 and August 2016, respectively. During a launch of the Atlas V rocket on 22 March 2016, a minor first-stage anomaly led to shutdown of the first-stage engine approximately five seconds before anticipated. The Centaur upper stage was able to compensate by firing for approximately one minute longer than planned using its reserved fuel margin. Atlas V rockets carried MUOS-5 in June 2016, NROL-61 satellites in July 2016, and the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft in September 2016.

ULA launched multiple satellites in late 2016. The weather satellite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) was carried in November 2016, as was the '' WorldView-4'' imaging satellite. In December 2016, the Wideband Global SATCOM's eighth satellite WGS-8 was launched on a Delta IV Medium rocket, and an Atlas V carried the EchoStar XIX communications satellite on behalf of Hughes Communications. In March 2017, WGS-9 was orbited by a Delta IV. Atlas V rockets carried NRO satellites, TDRS-M, and a ''Cygnus'' cargo capsule in 2017. The weather satellite NOAA-20 (JPSS-1) was launched by a Delta II rocket in November 2017.

An Atlas V carried the SBIRS-GEO 4 military satellite in January 2018. The Atlas V's launch of NASA's InSight to Mars in 2018 was the first interplanetary probe to depart from the U.S. West Coast. In August 2018, a Delta IV Heavy launched Parker Solar Probe, NASA's solar space probe that was to visit and study the Sun's outer corona in August 2018. It was also the Delta IV Heavy with a Star-48BV kick stage, and the highest-ever spacecraft velocity. The company launched the final Delta II rocket, carrying ICESat-2 from Vandenberg Air Force Base SLC-2 on 15 September 2018. This marks the last launch of a Delta family rocket based on the original Thor IRBM. On 22 August 2019, ULA launched its last Delta IV Medium rocket for the GPS III Magellan project. An Atlas V carried Boeing's Starliner Orbital Flight Test (OFT) mission for NASA in December 2019.

2020

In 2020, an Atlas V carried the Solar Orbiter spacecraft, an international collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA to provide a new global view of the Sun. In March 2020, an Atlas V also launched Advanced Extremely High Frequency 6 (AEHF-6), the first U.S. Space Force National Security Mission. In May 2020, ULA launched an Atlas V rocket carrying the USSF-7 mission with the X-37B spaceplane for the U.S Space Force and the mission honored victims of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as first responders, health professionals, military personnel, and other essential workers. On 30 July 2020, Atlas V in the 541 configuration successfully launched Perseverance (rover), Perseverance and Mars Helicopter Ingenuity, Ingenuity as part of Mars 2020 towards Mars. In November 2020, ULA launched NROL-101, a top secret spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, on board their Atlas V in a 531 configuration. This launch was notable because it was the first flight of the GEM-63 solid rocket boosters, a version of which will be used on their Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle.

2021

On 18 May 2021, the SBIRS GEO 5 missile-warning satellite was launched on an Atlas V 421 rocket.

The Lucy spaceflight began on 16 October 2021 upon launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V, Atlas V 401 rocket into a stable low Earth orbit, parking orbit. During the next hour, the second stage reignited to place Lucy on an Interplanetary spaceflight, interplanetary trajectory in a heliocentric orbit on a twelve-year mission to two groups of Sun-Jupiter Lagrange point Jupiter trojan, Trojan asteroids as well as a close flyby of a mainbelt asteroid during one of three planned passes through the asteroid belt. If the spacecraft remains operational during the 12-year planned duration, it is likely the controlled flight will be continued and directed at additional asteroid targets.

Infrastructure

Launch facilities

, ULA operates two launch facilities: Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41, Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida and Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 3, Space Launch Complex 3 at the Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California. The Cape Canaveral facility is equipped with a crew access arm for loading manned vehicles. Launches from Cape Canaveral typically head east to give satellites extra momentum from the rotation of the Earth as they head to other planets or into an equatorial orbit. Vandenberg is the primary U.S. launch site from which imaging and weather satellites are sent into polar orbits to cover the entire globe.

Since its foundation in 2006, ULA has significantly reduced its number of launch facilities from seven to the current two. At Cape Canaveral it previously operated two pads at Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 17, Space Launch Complex 17 and one pad at Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 37, Space Launch Complex 37 for Delta launches. At Vandenburg, it previously operated one pad at Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 2, Space Launch Complex 2 and another at Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6, Space Launch Complex 6 for Delta launches.

Headquarters and manufacturing

ULA's headquarters in Centennial, Colorado is responsible for program management, rocket engineering, testing, and launch support functions. ULA's largest factory is and located in Decatur, Alabama. In 2015, the company announced the opening of an engineering and propulsion test center in Pueblo, Colorado.

Until 2024, the company previously operated a factory in Harlingen, Texas to fabricate and assemble components for the Atlas V rocket.

Spaceflight Processing Operations Center

The Spaceflight Processing Operations Center (SPOC), located near Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41 is used to construct the mobile launcher platform (MLP) for the Vulcan Centaur. It also serves as a storage area for the Atlas V MLP. On 6 August 2019, the first two parts of Vulcan's MLP were transported to the SPOC. SPOC was formerly known as the Solid Motor Assembly and Readiness Facility (SMARF) during its support of the Titan IVB launch vehicle; it was renamed during a ceremony in October 2019.

See also

* Aerojet Rocketdyne (RS-68 and RL10)
* Blue Origin (BE-4)
* National Security Space Launch
* Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (Graphite-Epoxy Motor)
* RUAG Space (payload fairings, composite structures)

;Other launch vehicle providers
* SpaceX
* United Space Alliance
* Deep Space Transport LLC
* Arianespace
* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries#Aerospace, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
* Roscosmos

References

External links

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{{Atlas rockets

United Launch Alliance,
2006 establishments in Colorado
Boeing
Commercial launch service providers
American companies established in 2006
Companies based in Centennial, Colorado
Joint ventures
Lockheed Martin
Space Act Agreement companies
Space organizations
Technology companies established in 2006