United Launch Alliance plans to return its Vulcan rocket to service on Nov 13, nine months after a solid rocket booster anomaly derailed the company's 2026 launch schedule, flying 40 satellites for Amazon's Leo broadband constellation from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
ULA announced the target date on Wednesday, saying it is pending range approval. The mission is the first of 38 Vulcan flights that Amazon has booked to deploy the bulk of its network.
The return to flight is critical for ULA after nozzle failures on the rocket's solid rocket boosters on two of its first four missions, most recently in February. In both cases, the rocket overcame the failure and completed its mission, but the US Space Force, ULA's primary customer, lost confidence in Vulcan.
The launch is scheduled for Friday the 13th from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The flight tests whether ULA can restore confidence in Vulcan, its new flagship rocket, after two booster nozzle failures.
- It is the first of 38 Vulcan launches Amazon has booked, so a successful return clears the way for the bulk of the Leo constellation deployment.
- The US Space Force, ULA's main customer, will be watching closely after losing confidence in the vehicle.
Background
ULA developed Vulcan as its new flagship rocket, set to replace older vehicles in its fleet. The rocket has flown four missions so far, with nozzle failures on two of them; both affected flights still achieved their objectives. Its largest customer, the US Space Force, has since lost confidence in the vehicle, making this next flight a key test.
Key Perspectives
United Launch Alliance: says it plans to return Vulcan to flight on Nov 13 with 40 Amazon satellites, pending range approval.
US Space Force: lost confidence in Vulcan after the solid rocket booster nozzle failures on two of the first four missions, despite both missions being completed.
What to Watch
- Whether the Space Force range approves the Nov 13 launch date.
- How Vulcan's solid rocket boosters perform on ascent after two nozzle failures.
- Whether a clean flight begins to restore confidence ahead of Amazon's 38-flight campaign.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedULA set Vulcan’s return to flight for November 13 with an Amazon satellite mission.Space - Ars Technica: “United Launch Alliance announced Wednesday it plans to return its Vulcan rocket to service on November 13... The return-to-flight mission will launch 40 satellites for the Amazon Leo broadband constellation”
- SupportedThe flight will be Vulcan’s first in nine months.Space - Ars Technica: “it plans to return its Vulcan rocket to service on November 13, nine months after a solid rocket booster anomaly”
- SupportedThe return follows two solid rocket booster nozzle failures.Space - Ars Technica: “its new flagship rocket suffered nozzle failures on its solid rocket boosters on two of its first four missions”
- SupportedThe booster anomaly derailed ULA’s 2026 launch schedule nine months before the planned return.Space - Ars Technica: “nine months after a solid rocket booster anomaly threw the company's 2026 launch schedule into oblivion”
- SupportedULA plans to return Vulcan to service on November 13.Space - Ars Technica: “United Launch Alliance announced Wednesday it plans to return its Vulcan rocket to service on November 13”
- SupportedThe mission will fly 40 satellites for Amazon’s Leo broadband constellation from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.Space - Ars Technica: “The return-to-flight mission will launch 40 satellites for the Amazon Leo broadband constellation... The mission will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida”
- SupportedULA announced the date on Wednesday and said it was pending range approval.Space - Ars Technica: “United Launch Alliance announced Wednesday... ULA said the launch date is pending range approval.”
- SupportedThe mission is the first of 38 Vulcan flights Amazon booked to deploy most of its network.Space - Ars Technica: “the first of 38 Vulcan flights Amazon has booked to deploy the bulk of its network”
- SupportedThe nozzle failures happened on two of Vulcan’s first four missions, most recently during a February flight.Space - Ars Technica: “suffered nozzle failures on its solid rocket boosters on two of its first four missions, most recently during a flight in February”
- SupportedIn both cases, Vulcan overcame the nozzle failure and completed its mission.Space - Ars Technica: “In both cases, the rocket overcame the nozzle failure and completed its mission”
- Partly supportedThe US Space Force lost confidence in Vulcan.Space - Ars Technica: “officials at the US Space Force, ULA's primary customer, lost confidence in Vulcan.”
- SupportedThe launch is scheduled for Friday the 13th from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.Space - Ars Technica: “ULA's Vulcan rocket is set to return to flight on Friday the 13th. ... The mission will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida”
