United Launch Alliance (ULA) plans to resume Vulcan rocket flights on November 13. The vehicle has been grounded for nine months following nozzle failures in its solid rocket boosters during previous missions.
The upcoming mission will carry 40 satellites for Amazon's Leo internet constellation. This flight marks the fifth launch for the Vulcan rocket since its 2024 debut and the first to utilize six strap-on solid rocket boosters.
A joint investigation by ULA, Northrop Grumman, and the U.S. Space Force identified potential contributors to the nozzle anomalies. The company has implemented design and process improvements to address these issues.
Amazon has contracted 38 launches with ULA to build its satellite network. The company previously utilized Atlas 5, Ariane 6, and Falcon 9 vehicles for deployment, as it seeks to accelerate the constellation rollout.
