AUGUST 14, 2025 – The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command partnered with United Launch Alliance for the inaugural National Security Space Launch mission using a Vulcan VC4S (Vulcan with Centaur upper stage and four solid rocket motors) rocket Aug. 12 at 8:56 p.m. EDT, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
Spacecraft separation, signaling mission success, occurred approximately seven hours after liftoff into geosynchronous Earth orbit.
“It’s an exciting day for us as we launched the first NSSL flight of Vulcan, an outstanding achievement for United Launch Alliance and the nation’s strategic space lift capability. This is an important milestone for the Space Force and all involved,” said Col. Jim Horne, USSF-106 mission director. “After years of development, technical collaboration, and dedication by all involved, including our government mission partners and the entire ULA team, I’m proud to say the first Vulcan NSSL mission delivered its payloads safely into space.”
The USSF is leveraging the newly certified Vulcan Centaur rocket to deliver demonstrations and experiments to geosynchronous orbit on behalf of the Department of Defense customers.
The experiment flying on USSF-106, the Navigation Technology Satellite-3, is an Air Force Vanguard project led by the Air Force Research Laboratory and built by L3Harris Technologies.
It leverages a secondary payload adapter which demonstrates resilient satellite navigation through flexible reprogrammable signals, an electronically steerable antenna and advanced timekeeping algorithms.
NTS-3 is the first U.S. integrated navigation satellite experiment in nearly 50 years, since NTS-1 and NTS-2 paved the way for the current GPS constellation.
Assured Access to Space executes the U.S. Space Force’s core function of Space Access, performing the space lift and range control missions.
It secures reliable and responsive launch services to deploy the space-based capabilities needed by our Nation’s warfighters, intelligence professionals, decision makers, allies and partners.
Additionally, it operates and sustains resilient and ready launch and test infrastructure to project on-orbit warfighting capability through all phases of conflict and to expand U.S. economic, technological and scientific leadership.
Further, AATS delivers servicing, mobility, and logistics capabilities that operate in, from, and to the space domain.
Space Systems Command is the U.S. Space Force field command responsible for acquiring, developing and delivering resilient capabilities to outpace emerging threats and protect our Nation’s strategic advantage in, from, and to space. SSC manages a $15.6 billion annual space acquisition budget for the Department of Defense, working with joint forces, industry partners, government agencies, academia and allied nations. For more information, visit ssc.spaceforce.mil and follow @USSF-SSC on LinkedIn.
By Space Systems Command Public Affairs