Pentagon halted the launch of the ULA Vulcan Centaur rocket after two failures in three attempts

New incident on the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle

*United Launch Alliance (ULA) has encountered a serious malfunction that again calls into question the reliability of its new rocket family.*

What happened
- Date and location: February 12, 2026, the military base “Canaveral” at Cape Canaveral.

- Mission: USSF‑87 – launch of two GSSAP satellites and a demonstration payload into geostationary orbit.

- Device that caused the problem: one of four solid-fuel boosters GEM 63XL (Northrop Grumman).

- Symptoms: about 20 seconds after liftoff, flame erupted from the lower part of the booster, accompanied by loss of thrust.

How the mission was completed
- The main BE‑4 engines of ULA were able to compensate for the reduced power of the booster.

- The payload reached orbit successfully, but the incident raised serious concerns.

Reaction and consequences
Action | Result
---|---
Suspension of ULA orders in the US | The US stops new Vulcan orders until causes are determined.
ULA repair report | The company said the fault was fixed by a contractor and should not recur; however, the incident repeated itself.
Impact on launch strategy | During the investigation, the US military must rely entirely on SpaceX rockets for critical missions. Congress and Atlas V | Ban on using remaining Atlas V rockets in reserve due to Russian engines that are unsuitable for national security tasks.

Why it matters
- Replacing Atlas V: Vulcan‑Centaur was supposed to replace the legendary Atlas V, but delays and contractor issues slow this process.
- Issues with Northrop Grumman: GEM solid-fuel boosters are used not only on Vulcan but also on SLS (lunar flight) and future Mars missions. Recent upgrades have led to more problems than improvements.

Conclusion
The February 12 event showed that even after a previous fault was fixed, problems can recur. Until a definitive solution is found, American forces must temporarily rely on SpaceX and are limited by Atlas V capabilities due to their Russian technology. This underscores the importance of reliable suppliers and rigorous quality control in strategic rocket programs.