NASA Has Options Besides Musk, ULA’s CEO Says

Market Position & Competition - ULA is a primary competitor to SpaceX in the United States [2][16] - ULA is a major supplier to Amazon's Kuiper Constellation, competing in the LEO-based Internet market [2] - The space industry needs a broad industrial base with multiple companies to support growing commercial needs and challenges from China [3] - Blue Origin is expected to become the third domestic launch provider [17] Vulcan Launch Vehicle - Vulcan has completed development and is certified for national security and prepared for commercial launches [6] - Vulcan will fly again in the summer, fall, and winter [7] - The company anticipates launching Vulcan in high single digits, less than ten times this year [7][8][9] - Vulcan is almost to Atlas is its 45 spacecraft, which is 27 [5] Challenges & Delays - The development of the Vulcan launch vehicle experienced delays due to an upper stage issue and a structural failure [10] - A nozzle was lost off of one of the solid rocket motors during the second certification flight, further delaying development [11] - Requesting launch dates on the range has become crowded due to commercial activity, impacting slot availability [8] Potential Market Disruptions - Elon Musk's threat to decommission Dragon could temporarily make the US dependent on Russia for space station access [1][13] - Boeing's Starliner is expected to fly again in early 2026, potentially filling the gap if Dragon is decommissioned [14][15]