Boeing, Lockheed Martin’s United Launch Alliance to launch first Vulcan rocket
From Dow Jones & Company:
United Launch Alliance is preparing for the debut launch of its new Vulcan rocket, expected to lift off from Florida at 2:18 a.m. Eastern time. The rocket’s Centaur upper stage will send the Peregrine lunar lander into orbit more than 220,000 miles above Earth as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The Centaur will then carry cremated human remains into deep space, including DNA samples from presidents George Washington, John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as “Star Trek” icons Gene Roddenberry, James Doohan and Nichelle Nichols. Other remains and data capsules will also be on board. The Vulcan’s booster propulsion is provided by a pair of BE-4 engines manufactured by Blue Origin. The Vulcan’s maiden flight had initially planned for a debut launch last May which was pushed back following an anomaly in March of the same year, with another delay from Christmas Eve to Jan. 8. The Vulcan can integrate up to six of Northrop Grumman Corp’s solid rocket boosters.
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