United Launch Alliance
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This article contains information regarding an LSP that is scheduled to conduct a launch in the next 5 days. Details may change as the countdown and ascent progress. Launch details: ULA will use a Delta II 7320 to launch OSTM (Jason-2) for NASA. Launch will occur from SLC-2W at VAFB. |
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| United Launch Alliance | |
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| Type | Private |
| Founded | December 1, 2006 |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado |
| Key people | Michael C. Gass: CEO Daniel J. Collins: COO |
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Products | Atlas V, Delta II, Delta IV |
| Revenue | unknown |
| Employees | 3,800 |
| Website | United Launch Alliance |
United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin that operates space launch systems using the Atlas V, Delta II, and Delta IV. ULA offers its launch services to U.S. government customers.[1] The joint venture officially began operations on December 1, 2006.[2]
ULA's operations include production at the former Boeing plant in Decatur, Alabama with engineering operations at the Lockheed Martin complex in Littleton, Colorado, and along with a Lockheed Martin complex in Harlingen, Texas.
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[edit] History
Boeing and Lockheed Martin announced their intent to form the United Launch Alliance joint venture on May 2, 2005. The joint venture merges the production of both of their government space launch services into one central plant in Decatur, Alabama and all engineering into another central plant in Littleton, Colorado. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Delta IV and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Atlas V are both launchers developed for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program intended to provide the United States government with competitively priced private spaceflight and assured access to space.
SpaceX challenged the antitrust legality of the launch services monopoly on October 23, 2005. SpaceX is interested in competing for government launch contracts with the yet-to-be-built Falcon 9 rocket. On January 7, 2006 the Department of Defense gave preliminary approval to the United Launch Alliance while the Federal Trade Commission had yet to issue a final decision.
In September 2006, the Pentagon renewed their support for a United Launch Alliance. The Pentagon announced their support to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), who gave their anti-trust clearance on October 3, 2006.
The joint venture received final approval from the Federal Trade Commission and began operations on December 1, 2006. ULA is expected to bring an estimated 230 jobs to the Decatur Metropolitan Area.
On June 15, 2007, the engine in the Centaur upper stage of a ULA-launched Atlas V shut down early, leaving its payload -- a pair of NRO L-30 ocean surveillance satellites -- in a lower than intended orbit.[3] The anomaly caused delays to forthcoming Atlas V and Delta IV launches, due to the common RL-10 upper stage engines. The fault was traced to a new type of valve being used in place of an older component which had gone out of production. To resolve the problem, the older design will be put back into production, and in the meantime, surplus valves from the original production run will be used.
[edit] Launches
| Date & Time (GMT) | Rocket | Launch site | Payload | Outcome | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 December 2006 21:00 |
Delta II 7920-10 | VAFB SLC-2W | NRO L-21 (NRO) | Successful, payload later failed | First ULA launch |
| 17 February 2007 23:01 |
Delta II 7925-10C | CCAFS LC-17B | THEMIS (NASA) | Successful | |
| 9 March 2007 03:10 |
Atlas V 401 | CCAFS LC-41 | STP-1 (US Air Force) | Successful | First ULA Atlas launch |
| 8 June 2007 02:34 |
Delta II 7420 | VAFB SLC-2W | COSMO-1 (ASI/Italian MoD) | Successful | First ULA commercial Delta launch through Boeing |
| 15 June 2007 15:04 |
Atlas V 401 | CCAFS LC-41 | NROL-30 (NRO) | Partial failure | Reached incorrect orbit due to upper stage malfunction[4] |
| 4 August 2007 09:26 |
Delta II 7925 | CCAFS LC-17A | Phoenix (NASA) | Successful | |
| 18 September 2007 18:35 |
Delta II 7920 | VAFB SLC-2W | WorldView-1 (DigitalGlobe) | Successful | ULA commercial launch through Boeing |
| 27 September 2007 11:34 |
Delta II 7925H | CCAFS LC-17B | Dawn (NASA) | Successful | |
| 10 October 2007 00:22 |
Atlas V 421 | CCAFS LC-41 | Wideband Global SATCOM (US Air Force) | Successful[5] | |
| 17 October 2007 12:23 |
Delta II 7925 | CCAFS LC-17A | GPS-IIR-17 (US Air Force) | Successful | |
| 11 November 2007 01:50 |
Delta IV-H | CCAFS LC-37B | DSP-23 (US Air Force) | Successful | First ULA Delta IV launch |
| 9 December 2007 02:31:42 |
Delta II 7420 | VAFB SLC-2W | COSMO-2 (ASI/Italian MoD) | Successful | ULA commercial launch through Boeing |
| 10 December 2007 22:04 |
Atlas V 401 | CCAFS LC-41 | NRO L-24 (NRO) | Successful | |
| 20 December 2007 20:04 |
Delta II 7925-9.5 | CCAFS LC-17A | GPS IIR-18 (US Air Force) | Successful[6] | |
| 2008-03-11 | Atlas V 411 | VAFB SLC-3W | NRO-L28 (NRO) | Successful[7] | |
| 15 March 2008 | Delta II 7925 | CCAFS LC-17 | GPS-IIR-19 (US Air Force) | Successful | |
| 14 April 2008 20:12:00 |
Atlas V 421 | CCAFS LC-41 | ICO G1 (ICO Satellite Management) | Successful | First ULA commercial Atlas launch through Lockheed Heaviest satellite to be launched by an Atlas. |
| 11 June 2008 16:05:00 |
Delta II 7920H-10C | CCAFS LC-17B | GLAST (NASA) | Successful | |
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| 20 June 2008 | Delta II 7320 | VAFB SLC-2W | Jason-2 (NASA) | Scheduled | |
| 2 July 2008 | Atlas V 401 | VAFB SLC-3W | DMSP-5D3 F18 (US Air Force/NOAA) | Scheduled | |
| 16 July 2008 | Delta II 7920 | CCAFS LC-17B | STSS Demo (MDA) | Scheduled | |
| 25 July 2008 | Delta IV-H | CCAFS LC-37B | NRO L-26 (NRO) | Scheduled | |
| 2 August 2008 | Atlas V 421 | CCAFS LC-41 | WGS-2 (US Air Force) | Scheduled | |
| 22 August 2008 | Delta II 7920 | VAFB SLC-2W | GeoEye 1 (ORBIMAGE) | Scheduled | ULA commercial launch through Boeing |
| 2 November 2008 | Delta IV-M+(4,2) | CCAFS LC-37B | GOES-O (NOAA/NASA) | Scheduled | |
| 2008 | Delta II 7925 | VAFB SLC-2W | STSS ARR (MDA) | Scheduled | |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ About ULA. ULA.
- ^ United Launch Alliance Transaction completed
- ^ NRO Shortfall May Delay Upcoming ULA Missions. Aviation Week.
- ^ NASA Spaceflight.com - Atlas V/NRO L-30 launches, but sends payloads to wrong orbit
- ^ Spaceflight Now | Atlas Launch Report | Mission Status Center
- ^ MODERNIZED GPS SATELLITE BUILT BY LOCKHEED MARTIN SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED FROM CAPE CANAVERAL
- ^ The Associated Press: Rocket Lifts Off With Secret Satellite
