I’ve been reading up on this a bit. Apparently, the Vulcan Centaur is the ULA’s new rocket which replaces Russian RD-180 engines with BE-4s they sourced from Blue Origin. Blue Origin themselves are working on their New Glenn rocket which will use these engines. It’s interesting that the ULA (United Launch Alliance: Boeing and Lockheed’s rocket company) got to try them out first.
It’s also interesting that they are powered by methane. If I’m not mistaken, this is the first successful launch of a methane rocket? SpaceX’s Starship also uses methane engines. Apparently, they have a number of advantages over the more traditional kerosene. For example, they don’t leave any residue that can gunk up the works and affect reusability. I am not an expert on any of this, however, so feel free to correct me.
I am an expert on all of this in general and worked on Vulcan specifically for a long time. You did a good job of summarizing. The only correction is we don’t say “the ULA,” just ULA. It’s a company name, not really an alliance. Boeing and Lockheed have no real say in how things go at ULA (though they might have financial stakes??). It’s more of a new company created by spinning off both of the two respective launch divisions into one company.
But wow, that’s so cool that you got to work on Vulcan! Must be a huge relief that it aced its inaugural launch given all the new tech in there. I hope you’re out celebrating someplace. You’ve earned it! :)
I’ve been reading up on this a bit. Apparently, the Vulcan Centaur is the ULA’s new rocket which replaces Russian RD-180 engines with BE-4s they sourced from Blue Origin. Blue Origin themselves are working on their New Glenn rocket which will use these engines. It’s interesting that the ULA (United Launch Alliance: Boeing and Lockheed’s rocket company) got to try them out first.
It’s also interesting that they are powered by methane. If I’m not mistaken, this is the first successful launch of a methane rocket? SpaceX’s Starship also uses methane engines. Apparently, they have a number of advantages over the more traditional kerosene. For example, they don’t leave any residue that can gunk up the works and affect reusability. I am not an expert on any of this, however, so feel free to correct me.
I am an expert on all of this in general and worked on Vulcan specifically for a long time. You did a good job of summarizing. The only correction is we don’t say “the ULA,” just ULA. It’s a company name, not really an alliance. Boeing and Lockheed have no real say in how things go at ULA (though they might have financial stakes??). It’s more of a new company created by spinning off both of the two respective launch divisions into one company.
Thanks for the clarification. ULA it is then.
But wow, that’s so cool that you got to work on Vulcan! Must be a huge relief that it aced its inaugural launch given all the new tech in there. I hope you’re out celebrating someplace. You’ve earned it! :)
China had a successful methane powered rocket launch in 2023
Oh you’re right, the Zhuque-2 apparently launched successfully in July, 2023. (There had been an earlier launch in '22 but it ran into trouble.)