Vulcan VC4S | NROL-88
United Launch Alliance · Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
FY 2027
Rocket file · LV-516
Vulcan VC4S
United Launch Alliance · Vulcan · IN SERVICE
Vulcan VC4S is an expendable launch vehicle built by United Launch Alliance. It first flew on 13 August 2025. It has flown 2 times with 2 successes, a success rate of 100.0%. Its next flight is Vulcan VC4S | NROL-88 for United Launch Alliance, no earlier than fiscal year 2027.
Specification
Vehicle spec sheet
ON FILE
HeightNOT ON FILE
DiameterNOT ON FILE
Payload to LEONOT ON FILE
Payload to GTONOT ON FILE
Maiden flight13 August 2025
ReusableNo, expendable
Launch costNOT ON FILE
StatusIN SERVICE
As listed by Launch Library 2. The cost is Launch Library’s figure, not a quoted price. Figures for rockets outside the sixty most-flown were last read on 2026-11-05.
Flight record
Reliability
ON RECORD
Total flights2
Successful2
Failed0
Success rate100.0%
Landing attempts0
Landing successN/A
Scheduled1
VariantVC4S
About Vulcan VC4S
Vulcan Centaur is a two-stage-to-orbit, heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by United Launch Alliance (ULA) since 2014. It is principally designed to meet launch demands for the U.S. government's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program for use by the United States Space Force and U.S. intelligence agencies for national security satellite launches. It will replace both of ULA's existing launchers (Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy) in this role, as these launchers are retiring.
Upcoming flights
Vulcan VC4S in the archive
From NASA's public image library and Wikimedia Commons. Each photo shows the credit its licence asks for and links back to where it came from.
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Common questions
- How many times has Vulcan VC4S flown?
- 2 times, with 2 successes and 0 failures. Another 1 flights are scheduled.
- What is Vulcan VC4S's success rate?
- 100.0%. That's 2 successful flights out of 2 attempts.
- When is the next Vulcan VC4S launch?
- Vulcan VC4S | NROL-88, flown by United Launch Alliance. It's set for no earlier than fiscal year 2027 from Space Launch Complex 41.
- How much can Vulcan VC4S lift to orbit?
- Launch Library 2 doesn't list a payload figure for Vulcan VC4S.
- Is Vulcan VC4S reusable?
- No. Launch Library 2 lists Vulcan VC4S as expendable, so no stage is recovered to fly again.