Manufacturing defect blamed for lost nozzle on second Vulcan launch
Posted: Sun, Mar 16, 2025, 3:21 PM ET (1921 GMT)
United Launch Alliance has found and corrected a manufacturing defect that caused a solid rocket motor nozzle to fall off on a Vulcan launch last year. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said Wednesday that an investigation into the incident on the Cert-2 launch last October identified the defect in one of the internal parts of the nozzle, and that they had made corrective actions verified in a static-fire test of the motor last month. Bruno said the company is still awaiting certification of Vulcan by the Space Force for national security missions but has provided the service with all the information it requested to complete that work. ULA is planning a dozen launches this year, split roughly evenly between Atlas and Vulcan and between national security and commercial missions.
United Launch Alliance has found and corrected a manufacturing defect that caused a solid rocket motor nozzle to fall off on a Vulcan launch last year. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said Wednesday that an investigation into the incident on the Cert-2 launch last October identified the defect in one of the internal parts of the nozzle, and that they had made corrective actions verified in a static-fire test of the motor last month. Bruno said the company is still awaiting certification of Vulcan by the Space Force for national security missions but has provided the service with all the information it requested to complete that work. ULA is planning a dozen launches this year, split roughly evenly between Atlas and Vulcan and between national security and commercial missions.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, March 17
INNOSPACE Identifies Cause of HANBIT-Nano Mission Termination Through Joint Investigation with Brazil’s CENIPA
INNOspace — 5:27 am ET (0927 GMT) ESA-enabled helical antenna innovations boost space-based connectivity
ESA — 5:27 am ET (0927 GMT) Innospace Identifies Gas Leak as Cause of Aborted Launch
Chosun Ilbo — 5:24 am ET (0924 GMT) Canada Leases Space Port in Bid to Break Reliance on US Rockets Like Musk’s SpaceX
Bloomberg News — 5:22 am ET (0922 GMT) 'Big Short' investor Michael Burry flags criticism of proposed rule change to fast-track SpaceX joining the Nasdaq
Business Insider — 5:21 am ET (0921 GMT) |
