The first two Vulcan test flights last year used a configuration of the rocket with two strap-on boosters to add an extra burst of speed off the launch pad. For this flight, which the Space Force has named USSF-106, the launcher will fly with four solid rocket boosters made by Northrop Grumman.

United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket launched its first operational mission for the U.S. Space Force on August 12, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the company’s