Posted: Sat, Oct 28, 2023, 11:47 AM ET (1547 GMT)
United Launch Alliance has set Christmas Eve as the date for the first Vulcan Centaur launch. The company announced Tuesday that it expected to be ready to launch the rocket from Cape Canaveral on Dec. 24 on the Cert-1 mission, carrying Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander and a payload from space memorial company Celestis. The date is based on the mission requirements for Peregrine as well as completing work on the rocket, such as making modifications to the Centaur upper stage after a test mishap in the spring. There are backup launch dates on Dec. 25 and 26, and another launch window in January. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said he expected the company to perform "several" Vulcan launches in 2024 as it ramps up flight rates of the new rocket.

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