The Vulcan Centaur rocket, United Launch Alliance’s successor to the Atlas V, successfully launched on October 4 at 7:25 a.m. EDT, marking the start of its Cert-2 test flight.

This flight is crucial for certifying the rocket for national security missions, with data review expected in the coming weeks.

ULA CEO Tory Bruno stated that the mission’s primary goal was to achieve a successful second flight, which it did, despite a minor issue with a solid rocket booster nozzle that did not affect the overall performance.

The launch initially aimed to carry the Dream Chaser space plane, but instead, ULA used a mass simulator and monitoring instruments due to the vehicle’s unpreparedness.

Following the flight, the Centaur V upper stage will perform additional maneuvers and experiments to enhance its capabilities for future missions, Space.com has reported.

ULA plans to launch two national security missions before year-end and has a busy schedule for 2025, with expectations to include the Dream Chaser in future flights.

Written by B.C. Begley