ULA Vulcan Centaur – USSF-107 (NTS-4) National Security Launch
📅 Target Window: February 1 – April 30, 2026
📍 Launch Site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA
Category: Space Operations
Tag: #VulcanCentaur #NTS4 #GovLaunch
🚀 Mission Overview
Following the success of USSF-106, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur is preparing for its second National Security Space Launch (NSSL) campaign. The USSF-107 mission will deploy Navigation Technology Satellite-4 (NTS-4), advancing the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation GPS architecture and ensuring resilient, cyber-secure navigation capabilities.
🔧 Key Technologies & Features
BE-4 Engines (LOX/LNG): Steerable, high-thrust boosters powering Vulcan’s core stage.
GEM-63XL Solid Rocket Boosters: Provide additional thrust for heavy-lift to GEO.
Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-X Upper Stage: High-efficiency cryogenic propulsion for precise orbit insertion.
NTS-4 Payload: Expands upon NTS-3’s demonstrations, delivering enhanced anti-jamming, signal security, and autonomous navigation resilience.
🌍 Operational Impact
National Security Priority: Reinforces U.S. reliance on Vulcan as Atlas V and Delta IV retire.
Resilience in Orbit: Builds layered defense against GPS spoofing and jamming threats.
Strategic Growth: Establishes Vulcan as a backbone for future classified, Kuiper, and national defense launches.
📅 Mission Timeline
Early 2026 (Feb–Apr): Target launch window for USSF-107.
Payload Deployment: NTS-4 to geosynchronous orbit for system validation and on-orbit trials.
Post-Launch: Commissioning and operational testing of new GPS resilience features.
🌐 Why It Matters for Mach 9 Co.
Secure Orbit Access: Strengthens America’s space autonomy and navigation backbone.
Cutting-Edge Engineering: Showcases iterative innovation in heavy-lift rockets and national security payloads.
Innovation Beyond Limits: Reinforces the principle of adapting aerospace engineering to ever-evolving challenges — a mindset at the core of Mach 9 Co.’s mission.