Why Vulcan is the Most Important Rocket ULA Has Ever Built

In less than 24 hours we expect Vulcan to make its first launch.
Vulcan is going to replace both the Atlas and Delta rockets, it's the first rocket designed in house by ULA which had inherited Atlas and Delta from its parents - Lockheed & Boeing.
Vulcan needs to adapt to a modern launch market, where SpaceX has been able to dominate in large part due to its booster reusability enabling lower costs. Vulcan isn't ever going to be fully reusable, but its upper stage is more capable than the Falcon 9, and overall the vehicle is lighter because it doesn't need to carry excess propellent for booster recovery.
It's sold over 50 launches to the US Government, Amazon and Sierra space, but, simultaneously, ULA itself is for sale, and an acquisition by Blue Origin may have large consequences for the long term viability of Vulcan.
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/ scottmanley

[@blogit24]

ULA engineer checking in here, wish us luck! 🚀

[@NickPoeschek]

Good luck!

[@Hoopaball]

I wish you had better engines.

[@danger3_255]

if you're in the comment section do you know how to tell who is an engineer? don't worry, they'll tell you.

[@williamhumes7332]

Same here to you! Here's to the Vulcan Centaur!

[@nealb6974]

You guys make the best looking rockets

[@torybruno7952]

Update for you Scott: Monday's launch was a good day. The count was very clean and quiet. At one point, I thought my headset might be broken because there was literally no chatter on the net at all. In fact, I wasn't joking when I said that our biggest concern during the count was when the coffee maker in Launch Control failed. And yes, it was a valve... There was a ECS reading that we fussed around with for a bit, mostly because we got bored. It really did feel more like a 90th Atlas mission, than a first launch. We lifted off right at the open of the window. This was also fortunate because the weather had been iffy the day before and was completely unacceptable for launch the very next day, Tuesday. For once, the weather gods were on our side. The flight was nominal and delivered a perfect bullseye insertion. To have such a clean mission on a first flight is somewhat unheard of. I've personally done around three dozen first flights and never really had one go quite this smoothly before. Obviously, having conducted a couple of WDRs and an FRF helped, but still remarkable... Vulcan performed beautifully. Once we separated Peregrine and completed the heliocentric burn for the Celestis Enterprise mission, there were big smiles, handshakes, hugs, and even a few tears of joy, all around. Sadly, our initial jubilation at getting comms with Peregrine was later dampened upon the discovery of their propulsion anomaly. We made our facility available for their anomaly team since their key people were all out in Florida for the launch. I also got several of our engineers out of bed and brought them back in, including Chris Deel our head of Engineering, in case we could be of any assistance. The Astrobotic team, who by now had been up for at least 24 hours, worked very hard to understand the situation and make the best of it. As you will see in their communications, science will still happen, as well as a fitting memorial for that element of their mission. I have no doubt they will bounce back on their next bird. For the ULA team, this was an incredibly important and successful flight. It was the culmination of no small measure of blood, sweat, and heart. Nine hard years of transforming ULA, overcoming countless challenges of E-V-E-R-Y kind, and the development of a new heavy class space launch vehicle were finally, ultimately successful. I've decided that I might take part of today off... We are already well underway with preparations for the CERT2 launch. See you then.

[@paulgemperlein626]

It is legitimately so cool that you take the time to do this. Other companies would be issuing vague press releases and here you are leaving a detailed comment on a Scott Manley video 😂 Thanks for the update!

[@Will-uf7jt]

I appreciate Bruno’s connection with the community. Always responding to tweets etc. hands down a great guy. Probably good guy to have at parties

[@mortallychallenged]

Thank you as always for sharing your sincerest enthusiasm to so many people. You and your team have been a consistent beacon of inspiration for many incoming engineers like myself, and I deeply thank you for your commitment to transparency and level-headed approach to challenges. Enjoy your day off, I look forward to the future!

[@gentrywalker]

tory bruno = best launch provider CEO

[@PowerScissor]

Nice update, but nothing on the magnificent mustache? I think we all want to know how it held up during the launch, and if it will still be operational for Cert 2?

[@ariloggia5130]

As everyone knows, adding flame decals to your rocket increases the atmospheric specific impulse by at least 2.25-4.6 percent

[@ph11p3540]

Red painted nose cone. Make it a giant lipstick rocket aka British Space Agency's Black Arrow

[@bpbp277]

@@ph11p3540 nothing wrong with a giant lipstick rocket

[@phillipzx3754]

I know for a fact that one decal is equal to 25 horsepower. I once put so many decals on a car the engine blew. 🙂

[@-danR]

Also 9:40 animation that shoots all the exhaust straight backward in a vacuum. Squeezing every drop out of Newton's laws, no sideways waste. SpaceX: "What Isᴘ sorcery is this?"

[@DarkDragonPath]

Any scientific data on shark teeth or racing stripes? If not, sounds like a research grant request waiting to happen *wiggles eyebrows*

[@M5guitar1]

I was one of propulsion engineers who developed the Delta IV CBC. We were Rockwell Space Shuttle MPS engineers who formed a team to help McDonnell Douglas develop the EELV DIV. After Boeing bought MDC and Rockwell, some of the engineers moved to Denver to work for the ULA joint venture. I stayed in HB and worked on the development of the SLS Booster and EUS but have kept in contact with some of the ULA folks. I wish the best of luck to M.Peller and company! Onward and upward!

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Just another part of the complex rocket story that has lead to Vulcan at Decatur ! Great that things have sort of come full circle and SLS is currently a big Delta IV / Shuttle hybrid !

[@GODCONVOYPRIME]

LIAR I worked on the propulsion system and I didn't see you there!

[@trevormugalu3797]

I just watched a video by Scott from 10 years ago and i can't help but point out the fact that he has maintained literally the same look all the while.

[@langdons2848]

Scott is actually an ageless vampire sustained by the blood, sweat, and tears of Boeing engineers.

[@ramirosteinmann9278]

His eyebrows are the same color

[@briandeschene8424]

AI

[@codymoe4986]

Maybe he should grow his hair out and change it up a little?

[@orionbarnes1733]

@@codymoe4986 He did

[@ahmedsaoudi2344]

This "fly safe" is probably the most consequential ever uttered by Scott 😂😂

[@KMcKaig72]

Machinist for GE Aerospace here, and I really enjoyed seeing some very cool machining processes in this video, thanks for that.

[@lyledal]

Tory Bruno was possibly the very best decision ULA ever made.

[@ronjon7942]

Yes.

[@cptrikester2671]

Thanks for showing the manufacturing sequences. Enjoy seeing most things being made.

[@dascherofficial]

Everyday astronaut did a huge tour of ULA facilities.

[@rschroev]

Find the video "HOW ROCKETS ARE MADE (Rocket Factory Tour - United Launch Alliance) - Smarter Every Day 231" for more of that.

[@rschroev]

@@dascherofficial Are you sure you don't mean Smarter Every Day instead of Everyday Astronaut? The latter has some videos touring the SpaceX facilities, but as far as I know not ULA.

[@supremecommander2398]

don't forget about Titans of CNC showing the Blue Origin factory from the inside

[@ericlotze7724]

@@rschroevyou know the tour’s legit when they have to *redact* stuff lol. That video was so cool, the *massive* machines, and the site was so big they had bikes go get around if i remember correctly.

[@QuantumHistorian]

The section around 4:30 makes me think, could we have a video on rocket profiles? Some are long and skinny, others are short and fat; some are mostly cylindrical, while others are almost conical. I find it particularly notable that now all the stages have (mostly) the same diameter, but decades ago they got narrower as they went up the rocket. What are the design considerations that go into this? I imagine it's a combination of aerodynamics (to have both low drag and high stability) and maximising the wet volume / dry mass ratio, while keeping to various logistical considerations, but I'm sure there's a lot more to say!

[@ImieNazwiskoOK]

From what I remember a lot of old rockets were basically putting multiple already existing rockets/motors together, now that a lot more is from scratch it's easier to just make a single diameter. I think similar thing applies to second stage engines being the same as the first stage, although that way engines usually aren't really specialized to be that good at one particular thing.

[@thamiordragonheart8682]

I think the main reason almost all modern rockets have all the core stages the same diameter is tooling cost. it's usually pretty easy to build the same tank at different lengths with the same tooling, so if the stages are the same diameter, you don't need as much tooling and can reuse things like bulkhead designs. I think it's about the same reason a lot of cost-optimized designs have settled on 7-9 engines on the first stage. it lets you reuse work since one of the same engines with a vacuum nozzle is about right for the second stage.

[@musaran2]

AFAIK there is little/no gain in making upper stages narrower. By the time they separate atmosphere is mostly cleared, and "rounder" is more mass-efficient.

[@miscbits6399]

the primary constraint on diameters is what will fit in railway tunnels Wider diameters have to take the Panama canal route and that's impossible for things manufactured in places like Utah As for WHY things are made in Utah, the answer is congressional pork This is why fully commercial ops will eclipse NASA - They aren't beholden to Senators for funding, will site manufacturing where it makes the most sense and generally aren't afraid to move sites if it makes commercial sense to do so

[@_PatrickO]

Everyday astronaut said he has a video coming soon comparing vulcan with all the other launchers. He will likely explain design reasons for differences in width.

[@The_Dark_Hood]

So excited! As one of the programmers of the IRIS moon rover payload on Peregrine I can't wait to see it launch!

[@GlutenEruption]

Good luck!

[@LuccasLab]

I'm an ECE freshman at Carnegie Mellon and it's been super exciting to follow the progress on IRIS and MoonRanger. Congrats on the succesful launch! Go Peregrine, go IRIS, go CMU!!

[@The_Dark_Hood]

@@LuccasLab Congrats! The teams are always looking for volunteers, I would reach out if you're interested

[@craigw.scribner6490]

The longer I live (and I was born in 1954 and "grew up" with the space race), the more impressed I am that NASA managed to put men on the moon, per JFK's schedule, back in the sixties, and the more doubtful I become that I will live long enough to see another human set foot on the lunar surface. I hope I'm wrong!

[@No_one_cares_about_Ukraine]

The longer I live the more I want to die. That’s it. There is no bright future for us. Especially for the younger generations

[@mbaxter22]

@@No_one_cares_about_Ukraine Sad!

[@kukuc96]

Much easier to do that when the government gives you a blank cheque like they gave NASA in the 60s. This time they are penny pinching to the max.

[@shaeby8123]

@@No_one_cares_about_Ukraine Doomer found; opinion ignored. Check back in t-3650:00:00:00s to see if matured...

[@rorykeegan1895]

I had hoped that Mars was going to be on the agenda before I croak. Sadly that seems very unlikely. '54 was a fine year btw ...

[@andrewkelly8127]

Congrats to ULA on their successful Vulcan Centaur launch yesterday 🎉 (at last!). Thank you Scott for another excellent history lesson.

[@caldodge]

Shelby is the person most responsible for delays in getting cheap access to space.

[@sandbridgekid4121]

And Utah and California's Congressional members are why NASA got THAT Space Shuttle. Nixon used the STS as a political tool for both power, and getting support for re-election in 1972.

[@VekhGaming]

Ah politics, is there anything it won't ruin?

[@TheArklyte]

​@@VekhGaming your chances to start taking part in them to help change them for the better? No one wins as much from "good people shouldn't do politics" stereotype then self serving aholes, already born into them.

[@VekhGaming]

@@TheArklyte Except I tried and failed. So I'm sticking to just voting when it comes around.

[@caerdwyn7467]

Criminal corruption. Shelby is knowingly, willingly, destroying American capability and wasting budget to "bring home the bacon", thus basically buying votes for himself with other people's money. There is no limit...none whatsoever... to the harm someone like him will do to country and humanity as long as it keeps him personally in power.

[@hangflyer907]

Former ULA employee here. Very good video!

[@thesquirrel914]

ULA Tech checking in. I gotta be there at 1:30am for pad re-entry. I can't sleep, I'm too excited!

[@classydave75]

What do you mean by pad re-entry?

[@thesquirrel914]

​@@classydave75 Going back into the pad right after launch to secure systems and wash down the mobile launcher. Getting it ready to transport back to the VIF.

[@classydave75]

@@thesquirrel914 Oh OK, nice. Good luck mate, we are excited too! 🙂🚀

[@kevinb3812]

Take a cat nap if you can!

[@LM-fg7vi]

I see ULA is using a Cincinnati Milacron machine to make the large panels. Cincinnati Milicron went out of business decades ago, wonder where they get parts for such an old machine or find anyone who knows how to program it! Also proves CM made some very durable machines.

[@bulakhv]

Just so happens that the kind of people that use these kind of machines tend to be good at making machine parts, no?

[@mikerubynfs]

When the control electronics become unavailable we rebuild our machines with new controls and often rebuild mechanically as well. There are loads of companies who do this work as well. We have Cincinnati through grinders that have all probably been rebuilt several times, when we replace one the old one goes to be rebuilt for someone else, the castings could be 50 years or more old.

[@Skippyboy2348]

Ingersol and Fives still will work with old Cincinnati machines

[@LM-fg7vi]

I figured that was probably happening, but I guess that also means that no equivalent machines are being built now, or that the cost to replace the old machine is very high. It looks like they have more than one of the same machine, but it has got to be a pain to need to reverse engineer parts when you need one. What if the failed part is too distorted to use as a guide? Maybe they have CM's shop drawings for the original construction of the machine. One of the CM machines I worked on back in the 70's had a little glitch in the tool changer fingers that would collect chips from the machining process. When it did, during the next tool change it would throw the tool across the shop! All of the CM machines we had seemed to be a little too high speed on changing tools.@@bulakhv

[@suburbangardenpermaculture3117]

If the machines are being USED, they don't last 15 years. You can't easily "rebuild" the Ways 😂. No one would want to. My dad has worn completely to unusable about a dozen metal shaping and cutting machines over the decades, it's cheaper to buy a NEW machin with HIGHER accuracy and ALL NEW EVERYTHING... Tham trying to what? Have a welder build up the ways and then have them re-ground?!? 😂 then re-hardned?! 😂 Machines that collect dust, last decades. Machines that get used 40 hours a week every week, do not. They cannot.

[@markk171]

watched the ULA launch last night...very cool. Now ULA and Blue Origin needs to have quick turn around times. Let's see what happens...good luck to ULA and I feel kind of sorry for ULA having to depend on Blue Origin or engines.

[@alexanderSydneyOz]

It beats relying on Russians! The BE4 engines were delayed, but in the end the V/C was not ready by the time of their delivery, so it seems no problem to rely on BO for engines.

[@plainText384]

BE-4 had some issues during development, but so did the Centaur V. Now that BlueOrigin has a working design for BE-4, I don't see why you would need to feel sorry. They are quite impressive engines, with a good mixture of high thrust and high efficiency. They are also already set up to be reusable, if and when ULA decides to begin attempting SMART reuse. The only question is whether or not BlueOrigin can keep up with production while maintaining the reliability and quality control, as they are switching from prototyping to full mass production. But at the end of the day ULA has priority on engine delivery, so if production is slow New Glenn will have to soak up all the delays while Vulcan will barely even notice anything.

[@emom358]

Amazing how far we've come! My father used to chrome plate parts for Apollo missions and the US Navy.

[@mcooper7542]

Thank you for all the work you've done on this channel!!! I found you during covid have learned so much! So thankful for your work!

[@fernbedek6302]

Launch news about to become a tongue twister between Vulcan and Falcon.

[@craigmackay4909]

Vulcon or Fulcan?

[@marcushavland9316]

Vulcan booster with NASA worm paint job would look sick

[@manythingslefttobuild]

Great video Scott, the clips from the factory are an awesome addition.

[@NithinJune]

14:44 Lol that scott manley reply to elon musk in the bottom right 😅 well played

[@ericlotze7724]

💀 (Also Short of a Potato Quality video on “rocket.watch”, I can’t seem to find much (at least on KZbin) on it. Probably buried in a space news video maybe as well?) (Also giant congressional report maybe lol)

[@del7896]

Smarter Every Day did a factory tour with Tory Bruno showing a lot of the structures and construction in more detail. Fantastic video.

[@Spherical_Cow]

It got to me, how seemingly proud Tory was in that video, of their manual, artisanal approach to bending the orthogrid panels. As if such inefficiency and built-in higher cost is something to boast about...

[@jackprier7727]

It was very fascinating, the milling of the aluminum walls and mostly the thickness {nay-thin-ness} of the tubes-

[@ericlotze7724]

@@Spherical_Cowin your infinite wisdom, what is the better way to do so?

[@Spherical_Cow]

@@ericlotze7724 I'm not a manufacturing engineer, so I don't necessarily know. All I know, is I recognize blatant inefficiency when it's dancing naked right in front of my face. Maybe, one possible better way would be to 3D-print (e.g. via laser sintering of powdered alloy) instead of subtractively machining and then manually bending? Or maybe, at least try to automate the bending in some way instead of declaring matter-of-factly that hyper-specialized near-irreplaceable expert humans are too superior in their sheer eyeballing capacity for any robot to emulate...

[@codymoe4986]

@@Spherical_Cow Must be an Elon acolyte...automate everything, replace the humans, more cash for the "master"...

[@RCAvhstape]

This thing had better work. ULA is all in since they shut down Atlas production, and the USA in general currently has only one working launch provider, SpaceX. Personally I think it would've been a good idea to hedge our bets and fund an engine swap for Atlas as well as Vulcan.

[@vicroc4]

Yeah, especially since ULA was intended to ensure that national security payloads always had a launch vehicle. But I guess someone upstairs wasn't really thinking.

[@agoatmannameddesire8856]

> the USA in general currently has only one working launch provider, SpaceX. :sad Rocket Lab noises:

[@NithinJune]

elon musk has proven that he isn’t reliable

[@Blaze6108]

Governments around the world need to spread their subsidies/orders around a little more. Relying on one company isn't good.

[@NithinJune]

his rockets are but he as a person is not

[@frankgulla2335]

Than k you, Scott, for that very through preview of ULA's Vulcan.

[@Grubbbee]

For me, the big news today is that BE-4s flew! Holy sh##!!

[@user-hb7py7xy7b]

Just watched launch. Lift off looked pretty clean. Fast, no wobbling.

[@orionbarnes1733]

they escaped the kraken this time around

[@lancelotlake7609]

I know I'm not the only one, anxiously waiting for Scott to figure out, then report what has happened to Perigrine. Take your time.

[@guyh3403]

Destin from Smarter Everyday visiting ULA is a MUST see. That was really amazing.

[@tiggerl82]

Smarter Everyday has an awesome cover of the factory with Tory Bruno guiding Destin around! Truly awesome video!

[@agoatmannameddesire8856]

ULA: I built a new rocket to complete with SpaceX. Padme: It's cheaper, right? ULA: Padme: It's cheaper, right?

[@AutomaticJack]

(LOL) ULA: (Pained sigh) It's better than a DIVH for the cost of an Atlas. I wanted reusability and space tugs but the council disagreed. Apparently, upsetting Dark Lord, I mean Senator Shelby is unwise.

[@AutomaticJack]

(LOL) ULA: (Pained sigh) It's better than a DIVH for the cost of an Atlas. I wanted reusability and space tugs but the council disagreed. Apparently, upsetting Dark Lord, I mean Senator Shelby is unwise.

[@AutomaticJack]

(LOL) ULA: (Pained sigh) It's better than a DIVH for the cost of an Atlas. I wanted reusability and space tugs but the council disagreed. Apparently, upsetting Dark Lord, I mean Senator Shelby is unwise.

[@alexanderSydneyOz]

"ULA: I built a new rocket to complete with SpaceX." There is no comparison in terms of innovation and cost, but it is understandably important for the US government to have launch alternatives. Given the staggering sums Congress has approved for Artemis development, and Vulcan development, to name but two, the price difference between Spacex and ULA launch seems of little consequence. Commercial launch is a different matter, but V/C exists solely to satisfy that US government need/policy.

[@plainText384]

@@alexanderSydneyOz The price difference is actually not that huge between Falcon Heavy, Falcon 9 and Vulcan Centaur. For some contract SpaceX actually charges more per launch that ULA does. While internal cost may be different, prices, the thing we actually have some information on, are relatively compareable. And while ULA has definitely designed Vulcan Centaur with high energy national defence missions to GEO/GTO in mind, it is entirely incorrect to say V/C exists SOLELY to satisfy US government need/policy. The obvious counter example would be the large Amazon Kuiper contract they have lined up, which makes up about half of all launches currently planned for Vulcan Centaur.

[@shaunlennon2429]

Excited to watch this launch, as well as celebrating as a proud employee of DHL their first delivery to the moon. Amongst the many moon boxes will be a piece of Mt Everest collected by astronaut Scott Parazynski. Good luck ULA!

[@lolbots]

can you explain the role dhl has in this mission?

[@brettwoodard167]

Thanks for the update Scott!

[@AdmiralQuality]

Great overview. Thanks Scott!

[@richb313]

Thanks Scott for showing and explaining the Vulcan Rocket and VLA.

[@icaleinns6233]

Shark teeth! I'd love to see that!

[@user-oo1yk6is9e]

Very informative video. Thanks Scott.

[@southernrock20]

Helped build the engines from Huntsville! Good Luck!

[@Kevin_Street]

Thanks for this informative video! I'm learning after the fact, but it's still learning. As we know, Vulcan Centaur launched perfectly, so that's great news for ULA. I hope this leads to a great future for their company. It's too bad about the Peregrine lander, but whatever happened there probably isn't because of the launch vehicle.

[@imconsequetau5275]

Propellant leak...

[@dominiclobue]

Is that a LEGO set between the shuttle and your laptop Scott? Looks like a satellite! I'm looking forward to the launch tomorrow as well, and wish ULA success!

[@astrobotnautics5291]

Faantastic first launch rundowwn. Been very excitedd for this one for a while now.

[@ph11p3540]

I can't wait to watch this Vulcan launch tomorrow morning. This is not a particularly big rocket but it's heavy lift capabilities are surprisingly high and that's to HEO and GSO-TO

[@heartofdawn2341]

The rocket was absolutely flawless, however the Peregrine lander has a fuel leak and won't be landing on the Moon (at least, not in one piece)

[@edgeeffect]

The paintjob was my favourite bit of the factory/rollout video too.

[@happyhome41]

Most informative. Thank you.

[@daviddavis325]

The video showing various stages of rocket production was fascinating. Best wishes to ULA for tomorrow's launch!

[@krishanverma8883]

Great info!! And all the best to ULA for Successful launch of Vulcan👍 Hey Scott I have a recommendation don't know if majority will agree or not but Can you please make such informative videos for Landspace's Zhuque, Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram and Perigee Aerospace's Blue Whale.

[@LuvHrtZ]

Another top episode, mate. I only wish I could get my best Scott Manley impersonation across the text. 🖖

[@guitarinjustin]

SmarterEveryDay had a great video on ULA

[@ioresult]

You miss those days where there were shark teeth or fire on the sides of rockets. I suppose you miss the Chris Foss days. Well, I do to miss those days!

[@scottmanley]

One day the engineering requirements will leave more room for aesthetics, and then we’ll get those great Chris Foss looks

[@simongeard4824]

@@scottmanley Maybe some nose art too, like a WW2 bomber?

[@sdebeaubien]

And off she went. Watched it live. Congratulations to @ULA, it was a tremendous success, if a few years behind schedule. Most of the delays were not, as you said, due to anything ULA could have done differently. Probably at least 3 years delay due to BO being so late with engines. Surprisingly, the engines performed well, seemed to anyhow. They don't show nice telemetry data like they do on SpaceX launches. Maybe in the future...

[@FrankRoosevelt32]

Lol Blue Origin like “ah fuck it Jeff’s rich… let’s just buy an orbital rocket.”

[@kevinmasyon2843]

Luv your videos Scott.

[@NoResultFound]

An important and capable launch vehicle. If they can successfully reuse the engines in the future and ramp up production to cover the high demand then I could see it doing well.

[@vicroc4]

I do like their concept for reuse, I just hope it actually comes to be.

[@ccengineer5902]

Big if.

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

At least it has the wide payload niche secured for a few years

[@_PatrickO]

@@vicroc4 Why would you like a concept that is reuse with extra steps? Get rid of the extra steps. Do direct reuse, no silly schemes where they try to remake every part of the rocket every time, but reuse the engines. An overly complex gimmick. Rocket Lab just tried to catch their small first stages in mid air and it did not work. Spacex tried to catch fairings in nets. It did not work. ULA is going to have very low recovery success rates. Vulcan is another garbage throw away rocket that wastes tax payer dollars.

[@jmf5246]

If…. Sort of like the Starliner and Max

[@benjaminhanke79]

06:23 What did they blur out there? The orange color reminds me of an KUKA robot.

[@ericlotze7724]

I know in the SmarterEveryDay tour they had to redact certain bits. Might be a bit overkill (Re: that study where college students designed a nuclear bomb), but i think much of the information is restricted due to being potentially useful for Ballistic Missiles etc.

[@BenjySparky]

Scott and ULA, y'all rock! Peace ✌️

[@diraziz396]

Important Intro. Great recap. Thank you Sir. Scott @TonyBrumo is a Gem

[@Alcochaser]

It did the thing! Thanks for the engines Jeff!

[@antoinetruchot1239]

Vulcan and Falcon sounds so similar when said out loud, it irritates me...

[@oberonpanopticon]

It depends on how you pronounce them

[@nickfosterxx]

Three minutes in, and I'm reminded that "this is why I watch". After quite a few years now. So thanks for being there Scott: 'keep up the good work' is trite, but meaningful. : )

[@sunkid86]

Scott says Vulcan eerily like Falcon. I was like: Falkan, what rocket is that? :D

[@robloggia]

Regarding the sale of ULA: 1. Whomever buys thrm should keep the name because it's catchy. 2. Taking a deal with Cerberus would be signing their own death warrant.

[@joelongjr.5114]

Regarding #2, remember, Cerberus was the 3 headed dog from Hades. ULA would be gone within 3 years.

[@robloggia]

@@joelongjr.5114 Yep, although in the dog's case he was doing an important job making sure people weren't just walking in and out of the underworld like an amusement park.

[@CommentConqueror]

Scott's got a cool accent but i cant tell the difference between vulcan and falcon! Its my ears im sure.

[@Flapswgm]

Thanks Scott. Fly Safe and Keep the Dirty Side Down.

[@stephanieherman2861]

i listen to all your videos because of that great intro music!!!! ♥

[@fiveoneecho]

Vulcan might not be doing propulsive, complete recovery, but SMART is definitely going to be awesome to see if anyone can get a tracking camera on it out over the ocean...

[@MichaelWinter-ss6lx]

Maybe, but it's not going to happen on this mission. The helicopterr catch is scrubbed anyway. The inflatable heatshield will let the engines float long enough to retrieve them. 🚀🏴‍☠️🎸

[@danielleriley2796]

You let out the most important reason for Vulcan. The USA LAW DEMANDED that all government payloads must fly on USA rockets with USA engines. So no matter if RD180’s were available or not the military payloads ie:NRO and Space Force could only use SpaceX USA rockets. That was a law and not a suggestion. Then the be4 was a non starter and the NRO or government kept reducing the minimum number of launches by the Vulcan before it could launch military satellites. ULA should have been required to fly all the flights, it’s just 3 or something like that anyway, even if they only flew mass simulators. Determined reliability requirements shouldn’t be reduced just because an independent company (propped up by the government just as you said) can’t make good engineering or business decisions even if the decision was a dilemma.

[@alexanderSydneyOz]

"The USA LAW DEMANDED that all government payloads must fly on USA rockets with USA engines. " I don't think that is correct. The problem is that RD-180 engines would not be available beyond a contracted number, due to sanctions on Russia. To say nothing of the strategic risks of relying on anything from Russia.

[@andrewsarchus6036]

Discarding those beautifully machined alloy panels makes me wince.

[@veryunusual126]

Thank you for the info and THEY DID ITTTT🎉🎉🎉🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀

[@chrisgill7824]

They build these right down the road from me in Decatur, AL.

[@GDuncan8002]

Yes. Just down the road from the Meow Mix plant.

[@petermacris8260]

5:00 "You machine a structure that is strong and resistant to bending"... ... "Then you bend it into shape"...

[@scottmanley]

Have you seen the machine used to bend it?

[@ryanspence5831]

It's quite hard to bend by accident!

[@AutomaticJack]

Aerospace do be like that sometimes....

[@kg4boj]

​@@scottmanleyYou bent my wookie 😢

[@MattH-wg7ou]

I remember watching an old video with someone (maybe Destin?) That went to ULA and they were very excited about their new upcoming rocket. I suppose thats the Vulcan? Cool!

[@pcon77]

This will not save ULA, but still a great launch. Congrats!

[@DavidKutzler]

I suspected that the beautiful flame livery on the Vulcan booster would be discontinued after the first launch. I remember how NASA stopped painting the external tanks of the Space Shuttle after the first few launches. The weight penalty of hundreds of pounds of crisp, white paint that would just burn up on reentry didn't make sense. However, I have wondered if the paint layer on the external tank might have reduced the amount of insulation that came off the tank on ascent, perhaps preventing the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

[@MichaelWinter-ss6lx]

Nope. None of the Shuttle disasters had anything to do with the paint. 1. That giant firescorpion came from a loosened booster breaking the tank. 2. A lost heat tile happened more than once! It doesn't always result in a disaster. 🚀🏴‍☠️🎸

[@jacobspadt2567]

there's a little bit more nuance to the white tank. The paint was added to reduce heat absorption from the sun during fueling/ flight. Eventually it was decided that the amount of fuel saved wasn't worth carrying the weight of the paint.

[@eltopia11]

By mechanically holding the foam together and maybe even some aerodynamic forces?

[@DavidKutzler]

@@jacobspadt2567 Good information! Propellant boil-off mitigation hadn't even occurred to me as a reason for painting the external fuel tank white.

[@DavidKutzler]

@@eltopia11 That was my thought.

[@jcmount1305]

GO Vulcan!

[@baileyrahn266]

Lucky you get to watch it on the west coast. I got to set an alarm at 2 AM in a snow storm.

[@Krommandant]

Very good video! I hope they will try to make it reusable sooner than later!!

[@lordneeko]

Spoiler. Rocket good. Payload bad. 😜

[@gordonstewart5774]

Hydrolox/Metholox/ Solid Rocket - this Frankenstein complicates everything!

[@NullHand]

It actually makes a lot of sense once you run the rocket equations. At low speed (takeoff), a rocket is hella inefficient no matter what the fuel. Low specific impulse fuels make a lot of sense in that regime. For the upper stages once the rocket is moving at speeds at or exceeding the propellant velocity, you want the fastest, highest specific impulse fuel you can get (HydroLOx).

[@simongeard4824]

@@NullHand The problem is, it only makes sense if you look *exclusively* at the rocket equation. If you're actually looking at the requirements for building an operational rocket (instead of some idealised paper concept), that kind of optimisation isn't particularly helpful.

[@jacobdavidcunningham1440]

9:18 that does look pretty bad ass that landscape design

[@periapsis_synapses]

You'd mentioned the paint, and I couldn't not see a can of Pepsi. Hey PepsiCo. If you paint a rocket now, I want my cut! ;)

[@BuggsK100RS]

I know that there was a list of Emergency / Backup Runways that the Shuttles could have used all around the word is that still the case for dream chaser? Same list, just an updated one or is Dream Chaser restricted to just one place?

[@bbgun061]

Probably. In theory it could land on any runway long enough (but landing at a major airport would cause unwanted delays to other flights.) I suspect they'll have plans to land on some friendly countries' air force bases. Anywhere they use as a landing site will require preparations to recover it from there and return it to Cape Canaveral.

[@Matt-pz4qo]

Dream Chaser has a few alt landing sites, but less than shuttle. Pretty sure they have an FAA re-entry license for SLF & Spaceport America.

[@mikedicenso2778]

Dream Chaser, unlike the Shuttle orbiters, has more options due to its smaller size and due to its non-toxic propellants. So, it can land at any large airport, and it can be approached immediately after landing to get time-sensitive cargo or an injured astronaut offloaded.

[@Matt-pz4qo]

@@mikedicenso2778 I hope there aren't astronauts onboard a cargo spacecraft... that would be a very bad day lol

[@Rocketsong]

Dreamchaser only needs about 8000 ft of runway. It's a LOT less massive than Shuttle.

[@mythicfolfi4652]

The landing ashes on the moon thing is alright, but what about intentionally re-entering them so you can wish on your loved one’s remains as a shooting star

[@mythicfolfi4652]

Plus this avoids the Navajo issue, since the moon is kept clean of human remains

[@nunopereira6092]

​@@mythicfolfi4652yeah, a small section of native Americans are now claiming the Moon as their de facto property. Pretty soon they'll want to run casinos over there too.

[@richdobbs6595]

AFAIK, the vehicle containing the remains is being launched in an orbit around the sun. So no shooting stars and definitely not going to the stars.

[@codymoe4986]

@@mythicfolfi4652 There are dozens of bags of Apollo astronaut feces, lying on its surface, as we "speak"...not to mention, all the leftover tools, equipment, spent stages, etc.

[@Dronebertios_World]

Launch was impressive

[@ericlotze7724]

All the various people who worked on this (or something similar) chiming in in the comments is so cool!

[@Ro-ni7nm]

Be4 is my biggest concern

[@fireflyfx3205]

And with this, BOs engines may finally fly further than spacex's launch pad.

[@r0cketplumber]

At 0:47 I had to chuckle at "shotgun wedding," I started calling ULA that somewhere around 2008.

[@rastersoft]

Every time you say "Tory Bruno", I can't help hearing "Torrebruno", the singer 😀

[@markl8111]

Is it reusable? Can it land? How about the cost, have they worked on lower cost, by reducing the beauracracy?

[@redeyedmongoose2963]

No, but they’ve submitted more grants for money

[@jameskelly3502]

​@@redeyedmongoose2963Just like SpaceX does.

[@plainText384]

It's currently not reusable, but they have a planned upgrade that will make it partially reusable. The BE-4 engines are already built for reuse and ULA has worked with NASA for some tech demonstration mission for their inflatable heatshield concept (LOFTID) which will be scaled up with SMART to enable engine reuse. This system would not land, but instead splash down in the ocean. The have greatly reduced cost compared to Delta IV Heavy (and Atlas V), while also having a reliable supply of engines (unlike Atlas V). In some contracts ULA has signed, Vulcan Centaur is even price competitive with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 rockets.

[@quantum_martian]

Why dosnt the orthogrid use the bestagon the hexagon? Uses less wall for more strength thanks to 120 dehree angles And the corners will hav less fatige

[@AutomaticJack]

Bestagons are better all around, especially for loading from wildly varied directions, but pay for it in complexity, machine time and absolute directional strength... Vulcan is designed to avoid having to deal with basically anything but compression loading and hoop strength. That means they don't need the versatility of the bestagons and can use the easier to make and more directional squareagon....

[@quantum_martian]

@@AutomaticJack thanks for explaining it fellow bestagon

[@allangibson8494]

Triangles are more mechanically stable than hexagons. Rectangles are easier to machine and bend consistently…

[@quantum_martian]

@@allangibson8494yea but hexagons have both those advantages whilst being flexible enough

[@allangibson8494]

@@quantum_martian The problem in this case is developing a consistent curve with the highly variable stiffness from a hexagonal structure.

[@willowgroveweathercenter2686]

Excellent briefing Scott

[@Stadtpark90]

12:44 lol - DHL to the Moon: now that’s product placement done right 😂

[@ericlotze7724]

Does USPS deliver mail to the moon no matter the weather?

[@padders1068]

Thanks Scott! 🙂🙂😎😎🤓🤓🤓

[@XCX237]

Will be great if it works. Nice to see another rocket . I hope I'm wrong but I don't trust the be4 engine's. Hope all goes smoothly 🤞

[@M167A1]

Blue origin has reached the point where it has to put up or shut up. We should have an idea of which it will be by this time tomorrow.

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

I never understood how it can be cheaper than Atlas V and Delta IV when the 1st stage is basically Delta IV without foam insulation and it has an extra (expensive) RL-10 on the new Centaur upper stage giving twice the thrust and 2.5 times the propellant mass… OK they are using the much more efficient Altas launch infrastructure (Everything about Delta IV was very indulgent and costly) but can modern production techniques and higher production rates save that much money ? I do think it’s a cool rocket, incorporating the best of both its predecessors….

[@nikolaideianov5092]

Isnt it supposed to land the engines with idk what

[@_mikolaj_]

Majority of launch costs are related operations, and fixed costs. Delta IV and Atlas V were expensive cuz they were built in same building, meaning they held back eachother lowering the flight rate and consequently increasing the costs. Vulcan plans to take.over entire Decatur, and has already like 70 launches booked up, and now its projected to be competitive with Falcon 9

[@kishinasura7701]

@@_mikolaj_ they wont ever be competetive with Falcon 9 since by the time they get enough rockets to do 2+ launches a week, SpaceX will have Starship up and running a while ago. They narrowly missed their 100 launches a year target by 2 or so flights, meanwhile ULAs entire rocket flights is around 155. Sadly for some reason no other company can even beginn to rival SpaceX currently, and going by the trend it seems to only widen the gap.

[@_mikolaj_]

@@kishinasura7701 my brother in christ Vulcan is already destroying F9 in NSSL contracts due to being cheaper.

[@kishinasura7701]

@@_mikolaj_ This is the first ever Vulcan launch though? How can it be cheaper when its not even launching payloads yet.

[@DirectorPepper]

You know what Scott? I f&$@ing like your channel🤟Let's go!!

[@brendanmeyler1641]

Wow. I didn’t know Vulcan was basically entirely cnc machined. Mass efficient and beautiful but also massively expensive. It’s a shame that ULA can’t recover them. Props to finally getting to launch it’s been a long time coming and I’m sure this rocket will serve admirably.

[@ThompPL1]

Exactly ! . . . The ONLY "value-added" thing left to "re-use" after launch are the CNC metal chips (i.e. not really value-recoverable).