Vulcan Qualification Program Hits Milestone with Test Fire
The Vulcan qualification program hit a significant milestone last week as United Launch Alliance successfully conducted a booster engine flight readiness firing (FRF) at Space Launch Complex (SLC)-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL. The engine start sequence began at T-4.88 seconds, the engines throttled up to the target level for 2 seconds and then powered down. The entire FRF lasted for 6 seconds.
"Pending the data review and the investigation results, we will develop a plan for launch."
ULA Statement
"We are more than 98% complete with the Vulcan qualification program, with the remaining items associated with the final Centaur V testing," ULA said in a statement posted on Facebook. "The team is reviewing the data from the systems involved in today's test and, in parallel, continue with the Centaur V test stand anomaly investigation. Pending the data review and the investigation results, we will develop a plan for launch. Testing is an integral part of our launch vehicle development program, and we will fly when we believe it is safe to launch."
Vulcan Qualification Program Testing BE-4 Engines
According to the ULA website, booster propulsion for the Vulcan is provided by a pair of BE-4 engines, manufactured by Blue Origin. Vulcan integrates up to six Northrop Grumman Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) 63XL Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). They are constructed out of a graphite-epoxy composite with the throttle profile designed into the propellant grain. GEM solids supported the Delta II and Delta IV rockets, and the GEM 63 variant will fly on ULA’s Atlas V rocket prior to the first Vulcan launch.
Vulcan will rely on two RL10C engines to power its second stage. Logging an impressive record of nearly 400 successful flights and nearly 700 firings in space, RL10 engines, manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne, harness the power of high-energy liquid hydrogen. The RL10 boasts a precision control system and restart capability to accurately place payloads into orbit.
The Vulcan qualification program moved from Alabama to Cape Canaveral earlier this year. “The first Vulcan is complete, and we look forward to the test flight this year. Vulcan is a powerful rocket with a single core booster that is scalable for all missions including heavy class performance normally requiring a Delta IV Heavy configuration,” Tory Bruno, ULA’s president and CEO, said in a news release in January. “Vulcan provides higher performance and greater affordability while continuing to deliver our unmatched reliability and orbital precision for all our customers across the national security, civil and commercial markets.”
(Source: ULA via Facebook and ULA news release. Images via Facebook)