Space Force Considers Flying Vulcan Rocket Without Solid Rocket Boosters

The United States Space Force is evaluating the possibility of launching United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket in configurations that do not include solid rocket boosters, a move that could significantly affect the vehicle's payload capacity and mission flexibility.

Vulcan Centaur was designed to operate with up to six strap-on solid rocket boosters to augment its liftoff thrust, enabling the rocket to carry heavier payloads to a variety of orbits. Removing those boosters would reduce performance but could also streamline operations and lower costs for certain mission profiles.

The Space Force relies heavily on Vulcan as part of its National Security Space Launch program, which requires reliable and affordable access to space for critical military and intelligence satellites. Any changes to the rocket's standard configuration would need to align with those stringent mission requirements.

Officials are said to be studying whether a booster-less Vulcan variant could still meet the demands of a subset of national security payloads, particularly those destined for lower orbits or with lighter mass requirements. Such flexibility could open the door to a more cost-effective launch option within the existing contract framework.

United Launch Alliance has been working to establish Vulcan as a workhorse of the national security launch market following the planned retirement of the legacy Atlas V rocket. The company completed Vulcan's certification flights and has been ramping up its manifest with government and commercial customers.

The deliberations reflect a broader effort within the Space Force to optimize launch costs and resources as competition in the launch industry intensifies, with SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy continuing to capture a significant share of government missions. Adapting Vulcan's configuration could help ULA remain competitive across a wider range of payload classes.