Despite a booster anomaly, the USSF-87 mission is successfully launched by ULA's Vulcan rocket.

On February 12, 2026, the USSF-87 mission was successfully launched by United Launch Alliance (ULA). This was a significant milestone for the company's next-generation Vulcan Centaur rocket and also brought attention to a technical issue that occurred during ascent. The United States' critical national security payloads were carried in the launch, which was carried out from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Space Force into geosynchronous orbit, despite a performance anomaly affecting one of the rocket’s solid rocket boosters.

The mission underscores both the growing role of Vulcan Centaur in U.S. defense launches and the challenges that can arise as new launch systems enter regular service.

USSF-87 was designed to deploy multiple payloads into geosynchronous orbit, roughly 22,000 miles above Earth. Satellites in this orbit follow the Earth's rotation, allowing them to continuously hover over the same area. This makes them ideal for communications, surveillance, and national security applications.

The primary payload included satellites supporting the U.S. Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program, or GSSAP. These spacecraft provide detailed information about other satellites and potential dangers in orbit, assisting in the monitoring and tracking of objects in geosynchronous orbit. Such monitoring is increasingly important as Earth’s orbital environment becomes more crowded with government and commercial spacecraft.

According to reports, the mission's additional payloads supported technology and research goals, but many specifics remain secret due to concerns about national security. Using its VC4S configuration, the Vulcan Centaur rocket launched early in the morning from Space Launch Complex-41. This configuration has four solid rocket boosters attached to the core stage. These boosters, along with the vehicle's two main engines, provide the enormous thrust required to propel the rocket through the dense lower atmosphere from the launch pad. Shortly after liftoff, observers and flight data indicated a problem with one of the solid rocket boosters. An unusual plume and signs of nozzle damage suggested a performance issue that caused the vehicle to experience more roll motion than typically expected during ascent.

The rocket continued to fly without losing mission capability in spite of this anomaly. As planned, the affected booster and the others separated, and the core stage and upper stage proceeded normally. ULA later confirmed that the mission successfully delivered its payloads to the intended orbit.

Engineers are now reviewing flight data to determine exactly what caused the booster issue and whether adjustments will be needed for future launches.

The USSF-87 mission represents a crucial step in the operational use of Vulcan Centaur, which is intended to replace older rockets previously used by ULA. The vehicle plays a crucial role in the company's plans for future launches, especially for missions related to national security that require the precise and dependable delivery of sensitive payloads. After Vulcan was granted certification for flights related to defense, this launch was one of the initial national security missions it was given.

As the rocket takes on a larger share of launches for the military and government of the United States, it is essential to complete such missions successfully to maintain confidence in it. Additionally, the mission demonstrated Vulcan's capacity for complex, extended flights that are necessary for direct insertion into geosynchronous orbit—a laborious process that can take several hours after launch. Experts point out that early flights of new launch vehicles frequently reveal technical issues that must be resolved through continued testing and operational experience, despite the booster anomaly's raising concerns among space observers. Previous Vulcan flights have also encountered minor challenges, providing engineers with valuable data to improve reliability.

Overall, the successful deployment of the USSF-87 mission shows that the rocket maintained sufficient performance margins to complete its objectives even when faced with unexpected conditions. This resilience is critical for missions involving national security assets.

Future missions will further test and refine the system as ULA ramps up Vulcan's launch schedule. Each successful launch strengthens the company’s position in the competitive space launch market while supporting the growing importance of space-based defense and surveillance systems.

The mission ultimately strengthened the United States' capacity to orbit critical assets, ensuring that vital space infrastructure is continuously monitored and protected, despite the anomaly that occurred during flight.