Hi folks! Today in the wee hours the morning (Eastern Time), we’ve got the first launch of Vulcan!

Scheduled for (UTC)	2024-01-08 07:18 (45 minute launch window)
Scheduled for (local)	2024-01-08 02:18 (EST)
Launch site	SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida.
Launch provider	United Launch Alliance (ULA)
Launch vehicle	Vulcan Centaur (VC2S configuration*)
Mission success criteria	Successful launch and deployment of payloads into desired orbit

VC2S configuration breakdown:

V: Vulcan first stage
C: Centaur V upper stage
2: Two GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters on the first stage
S: Standard size fairing, 15.5 m in length

Livestreams

Stream	Link
ULA	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ6KTFMHenA
NASASpaceFlight	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtPoAUuYXHo
Spaceflight Now	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHUJ3m_xEb0
The Launch Pad	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYw7pjo95Ac
Space Affairs	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGvDHJedg3I
Everyday Astronaut	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfod_OL06DY

Stats

☑️ 1st Vulcan mission of 2024

☑️ 1st Vulcan mission overall

☑️ 1st ULA mission of 2024

☑️ 159th ULA mission overall

Payload info (Next Spaceflight)

Peregrine Mission One

Peregrine is Astrobotic’s lunar lander. Astrobotic was selected by NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program to deliver up to 14 NASA payloads to the Moon on its Peregrine lunar lander in 2022. With this $79.5 million CLPS award, Astrobotic has now signed 16 customers for lunar delivery on its first mission in addition to the NASA payloads.

Target orbit	Trans Lunar Injection
Payloads	1
Total Mass	1,283 kg

Celestis Enterprise Flight

Celestis is a company that launches cremated human remains into space.

On this mission, named “Enterprise Flight”, more than 150 flight capsules containing cremated remains (ashes), DNA samples, and messages of greetings from clients worldwide will be sent on a journey into interplanetary space.

The mission is named Enterprise in tribute to Gene Roddenberry and Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, as well as James “Scotty” Doohan, all of whose ashes are on this flight, aboard a rocket fittingly named Vulcan.

Other participants on this flight include the DNA of Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, “Mr. Scott” James Doohan, “Dr. McCoy” DeForest Kelley, VFX maestro Douglas Trumbull, “Lt. Uhura” Nichelle Nichols, and the DNA of her son, Kyle Johnson.

Previous ULA launch: Project Kuiper Protoflight

Next ULA launch: NROL-70

May this new launch vehicle allow ULA to live long and prosper!