ULA’s Vulcan rocket shot for the Moon on debut launch—and hit a bullseye
by Stephen Clark from Ars Technica - All content on (#6HP5T)
Enlarge / The first Vulcan rocket fires off its launch pad in Florida. (credit: United Launch Alliance)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida-Right out of the gate, United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rocket chased perfection.
The Vulcan launcher hit its marks after lifting off from Florida's Space Coast for the first time early Monday, successfully deploying a commercial robotic lander on a journey to the Moon and keeping ULA's unblemished success record intact.
"Yeehaw! I am so thrilled, I can't tell you how much!" exclaimed Tory Bruno, ULA's president and CEO, shortly after Vulcan's departure from Cape Canaveral. "I am so proud of this team. Oh my gosh, this has been years of hard work. So far, this has been an absolutely beautiful mission."