Vulcan (rocket)

The Vulcan is a carrier rocket project of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) to replace the Delta IV and Atlas V . Their first launch is scheduled for 2021.

Exploded view of the Vulcan launcher

construction

The Vulcan is only partially a new development; it is mainly derived from the Atlas V and the Delta IV. The first stage of the Vulcan is to take over the tank structure of the Delta IV with a diameter of 5 m. The Centaur rocket stage of the Atlas V will initially serve as the second stage . This sits on a conical step adapter. The payload fairings with a diameter of 4 m or 5 m also come from the Atlas V. In addition to the payload, the 5 m payload fairing also encloses the Centaur and its adapter. The rocket should also have up to four solid matter boosters with the 4 m payload fairing and a maximum of six solid matter boosters with the 5 m payload fairing.

Engine type and characteristics of the first stage

The first stage will use two Blue Origin BE-4 engines ; liquid methane and liquid oxygen are used as fuel . The AR1 from Aerojet Rocketdyne , which was also evaluated and is to be operated with kerosene and liquid oxygen, was not used.

In a later Vulcan version, the engine unit of the first stage, consisting of the engines and the supporting structure, will be separated after the burnout. An inflatable heat shield should enable the engine unit to survive re-entry so that it can be caught by a helicopter while hanging on the parachute, in order to reuse it - as the most valuable part of the stage.

Second stages

In addition to the Centaur, which will be used first, a new second stage called the Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES) is planned for a later rocket version . This has stiffened tanks with three times the capacity. Like the Centaur, it uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as fuel. The tanks are pressurized by vaporized fuel. This is also used for position control and the generation of electrical energy. So the stage can be in operation for weeks. Depending on the mission, it has one to four RL-10C-X engines , a new version of the RL-10 already used with the Centaur . ULA decided against the BE-3U from Blue Origin, which was also available, and an engine from XCOR .

Additional boosters and variants

The Vulcan Centaur is planned in at least three variants. The smallest model has two solid fuel boosters and has a payload capacity of 17.8 t for low earth orbits (LEO), 7.4 t for geostationary transfer orbits ( GTO) and 2 t for geostationary orbits (GEO). With four additional solid fuel boosters, the maximum payload increases to 27.5 t LEO, 13.3 t GTO and 6 t GEO. A heavy variant with a stronger Centaur second stage for up to 34.9 t LEO, 16.3 t GTO and 7.2 t (GEO) is to be offered from 2023 .

Start list

As of April 10, 2020

Planned launches

Date number	Type	Launch site	Payload / mission	Payload mass	Orbit 1	Remarks
June 2021		SLC-41	Peregrine M1 (moon lander) additional payload (s)
Autumn 2021	542	SLC-41	Dream Chaser (Supply Spaceship)		LEO	ISS supply ( CRS-2 )
5 starts	542	SLC-41	Dream Chaser (Supply Spaceship)		LEO	ISS supply (CRS-2)
	542	SLC-41	Dream Chaser (Supply Spaceship)		LEO

¹ Interruption orbit of the payload, not necessarily its destination orbit.

swell

• Martin Knipfer: ULA presents new launcher , in Raumfahrer.net, date April 14, 2015, accessed: April 30, 2015 (including graphics)
• Vulcan Data Sheet at spacelaunchreport.com, date April 13, 2015, accessed April 30, 2015

Web links

• Vulcan Centaur on the ULA website (English)
• Collection of articles for Vulcan at Space Flight Now (English)
• Announcement of Vulcan , ULA, April 13, 2015 (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ULA now planning the first launch of Vulcan in 2021. In: SpaceNews. October 25, 2018, accessed October 25, 2018 . 
2. ^ NASA GSFC Science and Exploration. March 20, 2019, accessed on March 21, 2019 (from minute 24:14): “There is a myth that Vulcan is a brand new rocket. That's partially true, but mostly not. Vulcan is derived from the best parts of Atlas and from Delta ... " 
3. ^ William Harwood: Bezos rocket engine selected for new Vulcan rocket. In: Spaceflight Now. September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018 . 
4. ↑ Justin Ray: ULA chief explains reusability and innovation of new rocket. Spaceflight Now, April 14, 2015, accessed April 30, 2015 . 
5. ^ Justin Ray: ULA gets futuristic. Spaceflight Now, April 14, 2015, accessed April 30, 2015 . 
6. ^ Jeff Foust: ULA selects Aerojet to provide Vulcan upper stage engine. In: Spacenews. May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2018 . 
7. ^ Atlas V and Delta IV technical summary. (PDF) United Launch Alliance, 2018, accessed on March 7, 2019 . 
8. ↑ Twitter message from Eric Berger, November 28, 2018: "... the Vulcan-Centaur Heavy (with an upgraded Centaur second stage) will launch in 2023."
9. ↑ ^{a b} Stephen Clark: Astrobotic lunar lander to launch on ULA's first Vulcan rocket. In: Spaceflight Now. August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019 . 
10. ↑ Final first-generation cargo Dragon spacecraft returns to Earth . Spacenews, April 7, 2020.
11. ↑ ^{a b} Chris Bergin: Cargo Dream Chaser solidifies ULA deal by securing six Vulcan Centaur flights. August 14, 2019, accessed August 14, 2019 . 
12. ↑ ^{a b} Private Dream Chaser Space Plane Will Ride New Vulcan Rocket for NASA Cargo Launches , space.com, August 14, 2019. The video shows a Vulcan 542.
13. ↑ Twitter message from Tory Bruno , April 7, 2020.