United Launch Alliance
Joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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United Launch Alliance, LLC, commonly referred to as ULA, is an American aerospace manufacturer, defense contractor and launch service provider that manufactures and operates rockets that launch spacecraft into Earth orbit and on trajectories to other bodies in the Solar System. ULA also designed and builds the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for the Space Launch System (SLS).
Company type | Joint venture |
---|---|
Industry | Space launch provider |
Founded | December 1, 2006; 17 years ago (2006-12-01) |
Headquarters | Centennial, Colorado, United States |
Key people | Tory Bruno (CEO) |
Products |
|
Revenue | US$1.32 billion (2018) |
Number of employees | 2500 (2018)[1] 3600 (2014) 3900 (2009) 4200 (2008)[2] |
Parent | Lockheed Martin Space (50%) Boeing Defense, Space & Security (50%) |
Website | www |
The company was formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security.[3] The primary customers of ULA are the Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA.[4] ULA provides launch services using the Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur launch vehicles. Using these and the retired Delta II and Delta IV launch systems, ULA has launched payloads including weather, telecommunications, and national security satellites, scientific probes and orbiters. ULA also launches the Boeing Starliner and commercial satellites.[5] Atlas V will retire after it completes its remaining launches. As of 2024[update], seventeen Atlas V launches remain.
In 2014, ULA began development of the Vulcan Centaur rocket as a successor to the Atlas V and Delta IV, with an initial flight planned for 2019.[6][7] After multiple delays, the maiden flight took place on 8 January 2024[8] with the initial mission launching Astrobotic Technology's Peregrine lunar lander.[9][10]