联合发射联盟（ULA）已将其复飞目标日期定为11月13日星期五，届时将执行一次“火神”运载火箭发射任务。此次任务将把40颗亚马逊“柯伊伯计划”卫星送入轨道。一对BE-4发动机将为核心级提供动力，并辅以六枚固体火箭助推器（SRB）。由两台RL10C-1发动机推进的“半人马座”V级上面级将完成入轨旅程并部署有效载荷。
United Launch Alliance (ULA) has set a target date for its return to flight: Friday, November 13, for a Vulcan launch. The mission will send 40 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit. A pair of BE-4 engines will power the booster, along with six Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). A Centaur V second stage, propelled by two RL10C-1 engines, will complete the journey to orbit and deploy the payload.
这是“火神”火箭首次为亚马逊执行发射任务，此前亚马逊已使用ULA的“阿特拉斯”V型火箭完成了八次部署。这也是自今年早些时候为美国太空军执行发射任务以来的首次飞行——在那次任务中，一枚固体助推器在上升阶段喷管烧蚀穿透，给观众带来了一场令人印象深刻的“烟火表演”，也让控制人员因“严重性能异常”而捏了一把汗。最终，美国太空军的有效载荷成功入轨，但“火神”火箭随即停飞，ULA展开了调查。
The launch is the first Vulcan launch for Amazon after eight deployments with ULA's Atlas V. It is also the first since the launch earlier this year for the US Space Force in which an SRB burned through its nozzle during the ascent, treating viewers to some impressive fireworks and controllers to some likely clenched sphincters thanks to a "significant performance anomaly." In the event, the US Space Force payload successfully reached orbit, but the Vulcan was stood down while ULA conducted an investigation. This wasn't the first time a Vulcan had had issues with its SRBs.
这并非“火神”火箭首次遭遇固体助推器问题。2024年第二次发射时曾发生喷管脱落。第三次发射情况良好。但第四次入轨任务又出现另一问题，导致不得不停飞。
A nozzle was shed during the second launch of the rocket in 2024. Things went OK with the third launch. But another problem on the fourth trek to orbit meant a stand-down was unavoidable. The workhorse Atlas V has continued deploying Amazon Leo satellites during the Vulcan's hiatus.
在“火神”火箭停飞期间，主力运载火箭“阿特拉斯”V型继续部署亚马逊“柯伊伯计划”卫星。7月2日，又有29颗卫星从卡纳维拉尔角太空军基地的41号航天发射复合体搭乘“阿特拉斯”V型火箭升空。然而，亚马逊已预订了38次“火神”火箭发射——这比ULA已为“柯伊伯计划”执行的八次“阿特拉斯”V型发射大幅增加。亚马逊显然渴望为其不断壮大的星座增添更多卫星。
Another 29 were added on a July 2 launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force station. However, Amazon booked 38 Vulcan rocket launches – quite an increase from the eight Atlas V launches ULA has already performed for Leo. It is obviously keen to add more satellites to its growing constellation. The SRBs are Northrop Grumman units, and the six Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) 63XL units will each provide an additional 459,600 lbs (2,044 kN) of thrust at liftoff.
这些固体助推器由诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司制造，六枚石墨环氧发动机（GEM）63XL型号每枚将在发射时提供额外459,600磅（2,044千牛）推力。这前提是没有意外烧蚀穿透或脱落。ULA尚未公布调查结果或其所做的任何改动细节。
That's assuming nothing unexpected burns through or falls off. ULA has not detailed the results of its investigation or any changes it had to make. ULA said: "The integrated team has made great strides in improving our understanding of the solid rocket booster (SRB) anomaly that occurred on the previous Vulcan flight and have identified several potential contributors which have been mitigated through design and process improvements to the nozzle.
联合发射联盟（ULA）表示：“一体化团队在改进我们对前一次‘火神’（Vulcan）飞行任务中发生的固体火箭助推器（SRB）异常的理解方面取得了重大进展，并已确定了若干潜在促成因素，这些因素已通过对喷管的设计和工艺改进得到缓解。为支持我们的客户，即将进行的这次发射将采用改进后的喷管设计，同时将继续同步开展额外的测试和分析。通过飞行验证改进后的设计，ULA将获得宝贵的飞行数据以确证这些改进，这是支持我们所有客户最有利的路径。”
To support our customers, this upcoming launch will utilize the improved nozzle design, and additional testing and analysis will continue in parallel with the mission.
美国太空军和亚马逊是ULA最大的客户——太空军将密切关注。在太空军授予2025至2029财年合同的竞争中，ULA屈居SpaceX之后，位列第二。®
By flying the improved design, ULA gains valuable flight data that validates these improvements and is the most beneficial path in support of all our customers." US Space Force and Amazon are ULA's biggest customers - and Space Force will be watching. ULA came second to SpaceX in contracts awarded by Space Force for FY25 to FY29. ®