by The Vulcan and Atlas V use similar composite payload fairings, both made by Beyond Gravity, the space division of Swiss company RUAG. The same company also supplies payload fairings for the European Ariane 6 and Vega rockets. Beyond Gravity manufactures Atlas V and Vulcan rockets next to ULA’s rocket factory in Decatur, Alabama.
“The Vulcan payload fairing is built by the same supplier on Atlas and Vulcan, and I would say there are substantial differences and substantial similarities between the Vulcan and Atlas payload fairings, similarities in terms of manufacturing process in the sense that they’re using a low pressure furnace…and basically the same type of carbon fiber overlay techniques,” Horne said.
ULA now has a second “sighting” to investigate as the company prepares to launch the first operational flight of the Vulcan rocket. During the Vulcan’s second test flight on October 4, the nozzle fell from one of the rocket’s solid-fuel boosters less than 40 seconds after liftoff. The booster continued to fire and Vulcan’s main engines compensated for the asymmetric thrust of the two strap-on engines, allowing the rocket to complete its climb to space and reach its intended trajectory.
Despite the booster nozzle failure, the Vulcan rocket’s ability to overcome the problem convinced ULA and Space Force officials that there was no need for another test flight. Space Force officials hope to launch the first national security mission on Vulcan before the end of the year. ULA is already preparing the Vulcan rocket for this launch, although officials have not set a launch date as engineers review data on the booster anomaly and ensure the payload fairing is ready to operate.
Although Horne would not discuss the payload fairing debris sightings in detail, he said the Space Force could choose to certify the Vulcan rocket for national security launches “with open work as long as we are convinced that we are on the right path towards a resolution.” ” of any technical problem.
“In any case, when there’s a crossover between similarities, design and production, you’re always looking to make sure that you don’t have a similar type of problem, even if it’s a very different mission profile, like Vulcan,” Horne said.
