United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket successfully deployed two classified satellites for the U.S. Space Force on Thursday, February 12th, despite a reported issue with one of its solid rocket boosters. This marks the fourth flight for the new launch system, and the second time in less than a year that a performance anomaly has been observed during ascent.
The Anomaly and Mission Success
According to ULA Vice President Gary Wentz, the problem was detected early in flight, with one of the four solid rocket motors exhibiting “significant performance anomaly”. Despite this, the Vulcan booster and Centaur upper stage operated as expected, delivering the spacecraft directly to geosynchronous orbit. The Space Force confirmed that the mission met its objectives, although an investigation has been launched to determine the root cause of the issue.
“The integrated U.S. government and contractor team is reviewing the technical data… We will conduct a thorough investigation… before the next Vulcan mission.” – Gary Wentz, ULA Vice President of Atlas and Vulcan Programs
Pattern of Anomalies
This is not the first time Vulcan Centaur has encountered problems. Its debut mission in January 2024 carried the Peregrine lunar lander, which later failed and crashed back to Earth. In October 2024, another SRB issue caused the rocket to veer off course, though it still reached orbit. Investigations revealed that a manufacturing defect led to a nozzle detaching from the booster in the latter case.
The Space Force certified Vulcan Centaur for national security missions in March 2025, and it successfully delivered an experimental satellite that August. The repeated issues raise questions about reliability, despite the rocket’s ability to compensate and complete its missions.
What This Means
The Vulcan Centaur is designed to replace ULA’s older Atlas V rocket, representing a cost-saving and modernized approach to space launches. However, these recurring anomalies could delay future missions while ULA and the Space Force work to identify and address underlying problems. The military’s System Delta 80 team will closely monitor the investigation before authorizing further national security flights.
The fact that the rocket has continued to succeed despite these issues suggests robust engineering and adaptability, but also underscores the need for thorough quality control and testing to ensure long-term reliability. The Space Force’s involvement highlights the critical nature of these missions, where even minor failures can have significant consequences.
