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ULA targets 18–22 launches in 2026 as Vulcan prepares USSF‑87 direct‑to‑GEO mission

United Launch Alliance said Feb. 10 it aims to fly 18–22 missions in 2026 as it prepares Vulcan Centaur VC4S to launch the USSF‑87 national‑security satellite directly to geosynchronous orbit on Feb. 12. ULA VP Gary Wentz set the target during a virtual roundtable.

Discovered 2026-02-09T22:52:54.651000-08:00 | 2026-02-09T22:52:54.651000-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • ULA's 18–22 launch target for 2026 signals a materially higher operational tempo that will drive manifest planning, supply‑chain demand and range scheduling; see ULA's push to rebuild its launch cadence.
  • The Vulcan Centaur VC4S USSF‑87 direct‑to‑GEO mission (Feb. 12) underscores ULA's central role in national‑security access to high‑energy orbits and the Space Force's need for reliable launch capacity; related context on Space Force infrastructure expansion.
  • The cadence objective comes amid ULA leadership change, a factor that bears on execution risk and operational stability; earlier coverage examined the company response to the CEO exit and cadence rebuilding.

Reported By

Seeking Alpha Air & Space Forces Mag newsroom.ulalaunch.com rocketcitynow.com orlandosentinel.com webpronews.com
Sources Tracked
20
First Seen
2026-02-09T22:52:54.651000-08:00
Latest Update
2026-02-12T09:44:32.494102-08:00
Coverage
Space

Sources

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