Anonymous14 days ago
A repeated solid rocket booster defect on United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket has forced the U.S. Space Force to indefinitely pause all national security launches on the vehicle, shifting GPS and missile-warning satellite missions to SpaceX and leaving the Pentagon temporarily dependent on a single launch provider. The grounding threatens more than a dozen planned 2026 missions, delays critical capabilities including next-generation missile warning satellites, and raises broader questions about the resilience of U.S. military space access as China rapidly expands its own orbital programs.