Pentagon figures show ULA's Vulcan rocket costs rising
New Pentagon contract data indicates that the development of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket is becoming more expensive. Figures reveal increased funding requirements for the program. This comes amid ongoing efforts to certify the rocket for national security launches.
United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, is facing higher costs for its Vulcan Centaur rocket, according to recently released Pentagon contract figures. The data, part of the Department of Defense's fiscal reporting, highlights escalating expenses in the program's development phase.
The Vulcan rocket is designed to replace ULA's aging Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles, with a focus on reliability for military payloads. Initial contracts awarded in the early 2020s set a baseline for funding, but subsequent modifications have driven up the total. For instance, the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 contracts, which include Vulcan, now reflect adjustments due to technical challenges and supply chain issues.
A ULA spokesperson noted, 'We remain committed to delivering Vulcan on time and within revised budgets to meet our customers' needs.' The Pentagon's figures specifically show an increase in the program's certified cost, though exact numbers per contract modification were not detailed in the public release.
Background context reveals that Vulcan's development began around 2014, with the first test flight targeted for 2024 but delayed. The rocket uses Blue Origin's BE-4 engines, which have faced their own production hurdles. This cost growth aligns with broader trends in the aerospace industry, where complex systems often exceed initial estimates.
Implications for the U.S. space program include potential delays in transitioning to new launch capabilities. The Air Force, a key customer, relies on Vulcan for assured access to space. While no specific contradictions appear in the reporting, the figures underscore the financial pressures on legacy contractors like ULA as they compete with emerging players such as SpaceX.