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Watch live: Back-to back launches of Vulcan and Ariane 6 rockets

Watch live coverage as two of the world's newest heavy-lift rockets lift off, potentially within minutes of each other. First up is the launch of Europe's Ariane 6 from Kourou in French Guiana. Lifto...

🚀 ULA Vulcan VC4S Launches USSF-106

NTS-3 (Navigation Technology Satellite 3) is a demonstration navigation satellite. NTS-3 will experiment with a new digital signal generator that can be reprogrammed on-orbit, enabling it to broadcast...

USSF-106

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Overview

Destination: Geosynchronous Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Geosynchronous Orbit Space Launch Complex 41 Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA Probability: 80%

USSF-106 is a mission for the United States Space Force. The launch will deploy various payloads directly into geosynchronous orbit, including the NTS-3 (Navigation Technology Satellite 3), a demonstration navigation satellite testing a new digital signal generator that can be reprogrammed on-orbit to broadcast new signals, improve performance by avoiding and defeating interference, and adding signatures for detecting spoofing attacks.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates


JRascagneres • Sept. 7, 2021, 7:56 p.m.

Pushing to Q2 FY23


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 9, 2025, 2:21 p.m.

Updated launch weather, 75% GO.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 29, 2025, 6 p.m.

NET August 9 UTC, to be confirmed.


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 10, 2025, 2:20 p.m.

Refined launch window.


Vulcan VC4S

Family:
Configuration: VC4S

Vulcan Centaur is a two-stage-to-orbit, heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by United Launch Alliance (ULA) since 2014. It is principally designed to meet launch demands for the U.S. government's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program for use by the United States Space Force and U.S. intelligence agencies for national security satellite launches. It will replace both of ULA's existing launchers (Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy) in this role, as these launchers are retiring.

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Specifications
  • Length
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Family
  • Name
    Vulcan VC4S
  • Family
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  • Variant
    VC4S
  • Alias
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  • Full Name
    Vulcan VC4S
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
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  • Low Earth Orbit
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  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
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United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance

(ULA)

CEO: Tory Bruno Founded: 2006 Successes: 168 Failures: 0 Pending: 43

Agency Type:

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. ULA launches from both coasts of the US. They launch their Atlas V vehicle from LC-41 in Cape Canaveral and LC-3E at Vandeberg. Their Delta IV launches from LC-37 at Cape Canaveral and LC-6 at Vandenberg.

INFO WIKI

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Air Force NTS-3 navigation satellite to launch in 2023

The Air Force Research Laboratory is planning a 2023 launch of the NTS-3 experimental navigation satellite.

SpaceNews

Space Force adjusts timeline as Vulcan’s national security launches slip to 2025

Two missions—USSF-106 and USSF-87—are currently waiting in the wings, with payloads ready but no confirmed launch dates The post Space Force adjusts timeline as Vulcan’s national security launches slip to 2025 appeared first on SpaceNews.

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"Constellation companies and government satellite operators are desperate."

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Space Force says first national security Vulcan launch now anticipated in spring 2025

The first mission for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket as part of the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract will be USSF-106. ULA began stacking the rocket that will support this mission in October 2024.

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Space Launch Complex 41


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