USSF-106: ULA Vulcan Centaur Launches Experimental Military Satellite For US Space Force

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket launched the USSF-106 mission carrying an experimental navigation satellite for the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on August 13, at 0056 UTC.  This mission marked the first National Security Space Launch (NSSL) aboard the Vulcan rocket.

USSF-106 was the first certified national security mission for the Vulcan rocket, designated as the 101st national security mission for ULA, and the first flight of the Vulcan Centaur VC4S configuration for the U.S. Space Force.

The Vulcan Centaur rocket stood 62 meter tall and weighed 789, 250 kilograms(kg) powered by two methane-fueled BE-4 engines and four GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters, generating nearly 1,369,777 kg of thrust at liftoff.

The mission carried an experimental navigation satellite into geosynchronous orbit (GEO), about 35,000 kilometers(km) above Earth, using the high-energy Centaur V upper stage, which provided direct injection to GEO. Vulcan launched with four side-mounted solid rocket boosters(SRB) in order to generate enough thrust to send its payload directly into GEO on one of ULA's longest flights ever, a seven-hour journey that will span over according to ULA.

The payload, known as Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3), is the U.S. military’s first experimental navigation satellite launched in 48 years. Developed by L3Harris Technologies with a satellite bus from Northrop Grumman, NTS-3 is a position, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite designed to provide data similar to GPS. Its primary mission is to test advanced technologies aimed at enhancing resilience against jamming and spoofing, which are growing concerns for both military and commercial satellite operations.

A key feature of NTS-3 is its phased array antenna, which enables the satellite to focus powerful beams to ground forces and counter jamming environments effectively. According to Andrew Builta of L3Harris, this capability is critical for addressing the increasing threat of GPS jamming. The satellite’s design also includes a software architecture that allows it to be reprogrammed while in orbit, a groundbreaking feature that Builta described as “game-changing” for its adaptability and operational flexibility.

The satellite’s experimental technologies could pave the way for more robust and secure navigation systems, addressing modern challenges in contested environments.

The Vulcan Centaur rocket's inaugural flight in January 2024 launched Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander, though the lander failed due to an unrelated anomaly.

The second flight in October 2024 carried a mass simulator for Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser, as the space plane was not ready. That flight experienced a minor anomaly 39 seconds after launch due to a manufacturing defect in a solid rocket booster nozzle, but the mission was still deemed successful.

Despite the anomaly in its second flight, the Vulcan Centaur was certified by the U.S. Space Force for national security launches, making ULA one of only two certified providers alongside SpaceX.

This certification underscores the rocket’s reliability for critical missions like the NTS-3 launch. ULA has already secured contracts to launch over two dozen national security missions, with the Vulcan Centaur capable of launching from both Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Space Force Base.