"ULA CEO Confident: Vulcan Rocket Ready for Liftoff"

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is on track to debut its Vulcan rocket on December 24, with all necessary qualification testing completed. The Centaur V upper stage has arrived at Cape Canaveral, and it will be integrated with the Vulcan first stage in the coming days. ULA has some schedule margin and alternative launch opportunities on December 25 and 26 if needed. The first mission, Certification 1, will carry a lunar lander built by Astrobotic. ULA has sold 70 Vulcan launches, aiming to reach a cadence of two launches per month by the end of 2025.