For the first time, ULA's Vulcan rocket is fully stacked at Cape Canaveral

Enlarge / United Launch Alliance First of all Vulcan rocket stands 202 feet (61.6 meters) big with THE addition of It is payload fairing. United Launch Alliance

United Launch Alliance First of all Vulcan rocket has has been fully assembled has Cape Canaveral, Florida, In preparation For It is inaugural flight following month.

Technicians hoisted THE Vulcan the rocket payload fairing, containing A commercial lunar lander Since Astrobotics, on high of THE launch vehicle Wednesday Morning has the ULAs Vertical The integration Ease. This milestone follow up THE early Morning transfer of THE payload fairing Since A close ease Or Astrobotics lunar lander was powered For It is flight has THE Moon.

the ULAs new rocket has rolled between It is vertical shed And THE launch buffer has Cape Canaveral Space Force Station several times For countdown rehearsals And fill up tests. But ULA only necessary THE Vulcan the rocket First of all scene And superior scene has complete those tests. THE addition of THE payload wrap Wednesday brand THE First of all time ULA has fully Stacked A Vulcan rocket, standing a few 202 feet (61.6 meters) big, always surrounded by scaffolding And work platforms inside It is assembly building.

This moves THE launch business closer has THE First of all flight of Vulcan, THE vehicle foreseen has replace the ULAs Atlas V And Delta IV rockets. After a few final crates And A vacation to break, ground crews will transportation THE Vulcan rocket has It is launch buffer In preparation For lift-off has 2:18 am AND (07:18 UTC) on January 8.

THE launch was previously program For December 24, but ULA delayed THE flight until THE following launch window has solve ground system problems discovered during A of THE recent Vulcan countdown repetitions. Astrobotics First of all robotics lunar lander, appointed Pilgrim Assignment A, only has A little days by month When he can leave Earth And take A course towards THE Moon. THE launch And path must be stopwatch has allow THE spatialship has reach It is landing site with THE appropriate lighting conditions.

First of all complete stack

United Launch Alliance, A 50-50 joint adventure between Boeing And Lockheed Martin, has has been below pressure Since rival EspaceX For THE last little years. While EspaceX has spear more that 90 times This year, the ULAs rockets to have only stolen three times as THE business the winds down It is Atlas V And Delta IV programs.

A Delta IV-heavy rocket remains In the ULAs inventory. It is supposed has launch following year with A classified payload For THE National Acknowledgement Desk, THE WE Governments to spy Satellite agency. There are 17 Atlas V rockets LEFT has fly.

With Vulcan, ULA East ready has ramp up It is launch rate. Tory Bruno, THE the society chief executive, said ULA has sold 70 Vulcan launches—more that half has commercial clients And THE rest has THE WE military. Amazon has reserve 38 Vulcan missions has deploy satellites For It is Project Kuiper broadband network. Vulcan will initially be fully consumable, but ULA plans has introduce engine recovery And reuse later This decade.

the ULAs aim East has launch A average of two Vulcan rockets by month by THE END of 2025. This would be be A remarkably fast launch cadence just two years After THE First of all flight of Vulcan. For comparison, he took longer For THE Atlas V rocket And SpaceX Falcon 9 has get has four flights.

Enlarge / Astrobotics Pilgrim lander was r...