Boeing-Lockheed Rocket Company Pushes First Launch of New Vehicle to May

Vulcan Centaur is one of several large rockets that launch providers are working to blast off on their inaugural flights in 2023. Those vehicles and others are expected to compete for a range of missions in the years ahead, as satellite operators buy rides to take their devices to orbit and government agencies plan exploration, scientific and military projects. 

SpaceX recently completed a major engine test for its Starship vehicle and soon plans to fly it to orbit for the first time, executives at the

Elon Musk

-led company have said. Arianespace, the French rocket company, is targeting the fourth quarter for the initial launch of its Ariane 6 vehicle from the European spaceport in French Guiana, a spokesman said. 

Those vehicles, like Vulcan Centaur, have also faced delays, which aren’t uncommon for new rockets.

ULA decided to push Vulcan Centaur’s inaugural flight to May in part to ensure a lunar lander it will launch is set up to reach the moon, Mr. Bruno said during a briefing. In addition, the company is still conducting what are called qualification tests for a rocket engine, developed by

Jeff Bezos

’ space company, Blue Origin, that matches the engines installed on the Vulcan Centaur rocket, he said.

A spokesman for Blue Origin said the ongoing tests began after the company delivered the first two engines for flight to ULA last October.

“We’re being careful, and we’re being thoughtful, to make sure we have a successful mission,” Mr. Bruno said.

The lunar lander on the flight is developed by Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology.

Amazon.com Inc.

will have two prototype internet satellites on board. 

The first mission, and one slated for after it, are designed to show Vulcan Centaur can operate, ULA has said. After those, the company plans to start using the new rocket for national-security launches, with one set for the fourth quarter, according to Mr. Bruno. 

ULA has been the Pentagon’s main rocket launcher, but SpaceX has made major inroads into that business in recent years.

Vulcan Centaur is expected to serve as ULA’s main rocket offering going forward, as the company winds down using two other vehicles, its Delta IV and Atlas V rockets. Vulcan Centaur won’t depend on Russian-made engines, as the Atlas V does. Several years ago, lawmakers in Washington compromised on a timeline for phasing out ULA’s use of the Russian motors.

ULA has sold more than 70 missions on Vulcan Centaur, 38 of which would deploy satellites for Amazon’s planned satellite-internet business, said

Mark Peller,

vice president for Vulcan development, in a recent interview. The company also has U.S. national-security missions lined up for the rocket.

Vulcan Centaur can be configured with different numbers of boosters that are strapped on the sides of the vehicle, helping to power it off launchpads. ULA plans to improve the rocket as it starts regularly flying it, aiming to lower costs or address higher performance requirements, according to Mr. Peller.

Mr. Bruno said the company still has steps to take before the first mission, including a wet-dress rehearsal, a simulated countdown to launch that includes loading the rocket with fuel. ULA also will conduct a short-duration firing of rocket engines developed by Blue Origin.

Vulcan Centaur uses two of those engines, called BE-4s, for the first part of flights. Blue Origin has faced challenges in developing the engine, and ULA executives had once hoped to launch Vulcan Centaur on its first mission in mid-2020. 

“I planned on BE-4 being late, because I knew it was ambitious for them. I did not plan on them being this late,” Mr. Bruno said at an industry event last year, referencing the technological sophistication of the engines. The Blue Origin spokesman declined to comment.

Write to Micah Maidenberg at micah.maidenberg@wsj.com