"Christmas Eve Launches: ULA's Vulcan Rocket and Astrobotic's Lunar Mission Set to Take Off"

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has announced that the first launch of its Vulcan rocket is scheduled for December 24, with backup dates on December 25 and 26. However, if there are any delays or issues, the launch may be pushed to January. ULA is still waiting for the delivery of an upper stage and undergoing qualification testing following a test mishap earlier this year. The launch window is limited due to payload constraints, with Astrobotic's lunar lander aiming for a specific landing site on the Moon.