United Launch Alliance (ULA) Its new powerful Vulcan Centaur rocket is expected to play a key role in protecting satellites from potential threats in space.
Centaur, upper level Vulcan Centaurdesigned for tracks. At the recent Space Force conference in Orlando, Florida, ULA Chief Executive Tory Bruno said Centaur could be upgraded to provide defensive capabilities in orbit.
If the opponent wants to endanger U.S. Space Force In terms of assets, Centaur can operate as a “space interceptor” and can move quickly to provide defense. “What I’ve been working on is essentially a rocket operating in space,” Bruno said on December 12According to Space News.
Bruno outlines vision for space defense Blog post for December 4thHe noted that while the military is more reliant on space than ever before, U.S. military assets in space currently lack defensive capabilities. “To maintain peace, we must also have reliable space defenses,” Bruno wrote.
Bruno discussed in the post satellite Used to damage or disrupt other spacecraft, they are called “satellite killers”. However, he said, satellites can only maneuver slowly due to smaller thrusters and limited storage of low-energy propellants. As a result, current satellites can take days or weeks to reach their targets.
Bruno’s proposed orbital defense system would use powerful thrusters and an ample energy supply to move quickly through space to prevent potential satellite killers from reaching their targets within hours. “I’m talking about a squadron of lightning-fast, long-range, deadly interceptors,” Bruno wrote. “To use a naval metaphor, we need destroyers in orbit, space greyhounds.”
Bruno’s medium article also discusses the importance of disabling hostile satellites in a way that does not create large debris fields, since space debris remains in orbit for weeks in low orbits and remains in high orbits for centuries .
Space debris has the potential to destroy everything in its path. “There are no borders in space,” Bruno wrote. “It’s a common environment that everyone shares.”
At the same time, the Space Force has positioned itself as the “cornerstone” of U.S. defense and says it can meet the challenges that arise as space becomes more crowded and more competitive.
“Space is no longer a refuge. It is a contested territory,” Indo-Pacific Space Force commander Brig. Gen. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalir Said at the 2024 Aerospace Power Conference In Orlando, Florida. “Our mission is to ensure we can operate in the field and continue to provide support in all conflict zones.”
After successfully completing the Vulcan Centaur mission Second certification task On October 4, ULA plans to launch Vulcan Centaur on it first national security mission Cooperation with the Space Force is currently planned for late 2024 or early 2025.
If the Centaur upper stage can be upgraded to stay in orbit longer and provide satellite defense for Space Force assets, ULA may have an important new capability that could help the company play a role in the highly competitive aerospace industry.