Outerspace

ULA’s Next-Generation Rocket Takes Reusability To New Heights

United Launch Alliance’s next-generation rocket, the future Vulcan Aces, will be able to refuel in space, opening the door to in-orbital assembly and other complex space operations.

Most aerospace companies focus on reusing the first-stage rocket, ULA president and chief executive Tory Bruno said in a Wednesday interview at the Space Foundation’s annual National Space Symposium. SpaceX, for example, recently landed a first-stage Falcon 9 rocket on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean after it successfully launched a payload into space.

The concept of a reusable first-stage rocket, if it proves reliable, could transform the space launch market, potentially driving down the cost of space launch to unprecedented levels, analysts contend.