ULA Works On Recoverable Engines For Vulcan Launch System | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.23.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.25.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Sat, Mar 03, 2018

ULA Works On Recoverable Engines For Vulcan Launch System

Company Says System Should Fly In Mid 2020s

The Vulcan launch system being developed by United Launch Alliance will have something in common with rockets being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin ... the boosters are intended to be recoverable, according to the company.

Business Insider reports that the Vulcan will have detachable first stage booster engines called SMART, for Sensible, Modular, Autonomous Return Technology. ULA CEO Tory Bruno said that the system would allow ULA to "recover about two-thirds the cost of that first-stage booster every single time we fly with no performance hit."

The "performance hit" he's referring to is the additional fuel that must be carried by a Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy booster to allow the rocket to land, costing the company in payload. The SMART system would detach the rocket engine from the booster and deploy a heat shield to protect it during reentry, and then a parafoil would slow the engine package down enough to allow it to be snagged from the air by a helicopter.

ULA expects the first flight of the Vulcan to be in 2019. It is also developing a system called ACES, for Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage. ACES is a second stage that uses cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen rather than RP-1 kerosene as fuel. The kerosene can freeze after only a few hours in space, but the ACES second stage could remain viable in orbit for years, and even eventually be refueled. A timeline released by ULA indicates that the ACES second stage could fly as soon as 2023, with the SMART engine recovery system launched as soon as 2024.

(Image provided by ULA)

FMI: Original report

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23

Pilot Also Reported That Due To A Fuel Leak, The Auxiliary Fuel Tanks Were Not Used On June 4, 2025, at 13:41 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N2109P, was substantially damage>[...]

ANN FAQ: Submit a News Story!

Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: One Man’s Vietnam

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Reflections on War’s Collective Lessons and Cyclical Nature The exigencies of war ought be colorblind. Inane social-constructs the likes of racis>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.03.25)

Aero Linx: Colorado Pilots Association (CPA) Colorado Pilots Association was incorporated as a Colorado Nonprofit Corporation in 1972. It is a statewide organization with over 700 >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.03.25): High Speed Taxiway

High Speed Taxiway A long radius taxiway designed and provided with lighting or marking to define the path of aircraft, traveling at high speed (up to 60 knots), from the runway ce>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC