ULA aimed to launch up to 10 Vulcan rockets this year—it will fly just once

Last year, United Launch Alliance (ULA) executives were optimistic, predicting that 2025 would be their most active year yet. ULA's CEO, Tory Bruno, confidently announced plans for up to 20 launches, intending to balance missions between their established Atlas V rocket and the newer Vulcan model. However, as the year progresses, the reality is far less ambitious, with ULA now expecting just six launches by year-end—five of which will be on the Atlas V and only one utilizing the eagerly awaited Vulcan. This outcome would mark 2025 as ULA's busiest year since 2022, yet it significantly misses the initial expectations set by the company. ULA recently confirmed that their next launch is slated for December 15, featuring an Atlas V rocket that will deliver more broadband satellites for Amazon's LEO network, previously known as Project Kuiper. This mission will wrap up ULA's launch activities for the year. The lone Vulcan launch took place on August 12, successfully deploying an experimental military navigation satellite alongside other classified payloads for the US Space Force. This marked the third flight of the Vulcan rocket and its inaugural mission for national security after receiving certification from the Space Force. ULA stands as one of the two certified launch providers for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, tasked with critical missions that include reconnaissance, navigation, and communications. In stark contrast, SpaceX has already executed 151 launches with its Falcon 9 rocket fleet this year, including six missions for the Space Force’s NSSL program. Concerns regarding the Vulcan rocket's readiness have been voiced within the Pentagon. In May 2024, Frank Calvelli, then assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition, expressed worries about delays affecting military satellite capabilities that remain on the ground. Even after a year and a half, the military is still awaiting the opportunity to launch satellites on the Vulcan rocket.