On the Feb 12, 2026 USSF-87 launch, one of Vulcan’s four Northrop Grumman GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters (SRBs) suffered a nozzle burn-through (visible fiery plume ~20–30 seconds after liftoff).
This is the second identical anomaly (first occurred on Vulcan’s second flight in Oct 2024).
The mission still succeeded (core stage compensated), but ULA and Northrop Grumman have launched a full root cause investigation, including debris recovery from the ocean. The Space Force is involved.
Is ULA Vulcan Grounded?
Yes, effectively grounded for now.
ULA has stated they will not fly the next Vulcan mission until the root cause is identified and corrective action is implemented. This will likely cause 3–6+ months of delays for upcoming flights while they inspect/retrofit the SRB fleet.
Can Vulcan Fly Without Solid Rocket Boosters?
Yes, technically — Vulcan has certified configurations with 0, 2, 4, or 6 SRBs.
Without SRBs, Vulcan can launch ~10–15 tons to LEO instead of 27+ tons with 6 SRBs.
Suitable only for light payloads.
Amazon Kuiper’s heavy batches (many of the 38 contracted Vulcan launches) require 4–6 SRBs for mass and orbit performance. Those missions cannot fly without them.
Impact on Amazon LEO (Project Kuiper / Amazon Leo)
Amazon has 38 launches booked on Vulcan (a major part of their plan to reach ~3,200 satellites).
Heavy Kuiper launches are now delayed.
Amazon will shift more missions to:
Arianespace Ariane 6 (already flying some)
SpaceX Falcon 9 might add more, but only so many can be bought. SpaceX priority is Starlink.
Blue Origin New Glenn (12+ contracted, but not flying yet — first orbital flight expected mid-to-late 2026)
New Glenn will not immediately replace Vulcan slots. It’s still in testing, so Amazon faces real schedule pressure to meet FCC milestones (half the constellation by July 2026).
Impact on AST SpaceMobile
AST has some Vulcan launches in their manifest, but they are far less dependent on Vulcan than Amazon (they use a diversified mix including SpaceX and others).
They will not lose a lot of launches. If anything, some schedule flexibility or freed-up capacity could benefit them indirectly.
Their biggest risk is general launch market congestion, not this specific Vulcan issue.
Bottom line
Vulcan is on hold pending SRB fix (months of delay expected).
Light missions can fly without SRBs, but heavy Amazon Kuiper batches cannot — forcing Amazon to rely more on Ariane 6 and wait for New Glenn.
AST SpaceMobile is minimally impacted compared to Amazon.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
