SpaceX Up, United Launch Alliance Faces Delays

Buckle up, space fans! The United States Space Force is getting ready for some bumps in the road. A key player, United Launch Alliance, is having some hiccups with their Vulcan rocket. The Vulcan was supposed to blast off in 2024, but now it's looking more like 2025. General Philip Garrant, the Space Force's boss for space systems, spilled the beans at a recent meeting. Vulcan's had a minor technical glitch with one of its boosters. Nothing major, but these little issues add up. Right now, SpaceX is the Space Force's go-to rocket guy. But having two providers is crucial for keeping space access smooth. That's why Vulcan's certification is so important. United Launch Alliance has launched just one mission so far under a big contract from 2020. They still have around 25 missions to go by 2027. Two big missions, USSF-106 and USSF-87, are ready but have no confirmed launch dates yet. Despite the setbacks, General Garrant is staying positive. He thinks ULA is making good progress. But who gets the next contracts? That's still up in the air. Blue Origin hopes to join the party with their New Glenn rocket. The Space Force is super careful with these contracts. They're waiting for a full budget from Congress before making any big decisions.