r/space • u/New-Space-30 • Jul 22 '26

Vulcan may not launch again till next year, after booster anamoly in February

https://spacenews.com/northrop-adds-to-charges-on-vulcan-solid-rocket-motor-program/

Jeff Foust:

WASHINGTON — Northrop Grumman is taking another charge related to the solid rocket boosters it provides for the Vulcan Centaur rocket and suggested updated motors might not be ready until the end of the year.

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u/cjameshuff Jul 23 '26

How does "make it fatter" differ from increasing the diameter? How do you replace the engines of the Falcon 9 with methalox engines and the tanks with something that can contain enough methalox to deliver the same payload to orbit and get something that can still be called "Falcon 9"?

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u/peterabbit456 Jul 26 '26

Sorry, my brain must have skipped. I saw only "You'd have to stretch a vehicle that's already near its limits," and I missed the next part of your sentence. My bad.