Vulcan Returns to Flight on November 13 with First Amazon LEO Production Mission

United Launch Alliance plans to resume launching the Vulcan rocket on November 13, following a nine-month pause caused by a solid rocket booster anomaly, according to SpaceNews.

The company set Friday, November 13, as the target date for the "Vulcan LEO 1" flight, pending launch range approval. The mission will mark the first production launch for Amazon LEO satellites.

The mission carries the first production batch of Amazon LEO satellites and represents the first flight of the Centaur V variant configured for low Earth orbit.

The company has not yet confirmed a final date for the return to flight, and the launch remains subject to range approval. The anticipated return comes following an investigation into the solid booster anomaly that grounded flights for nine months.

What do these terms mean?

Solid Rocket Booster: A motor fueled by solid propellant used during liftoff to provide significant additional thrust, which cannot be shut down once ignited.

Centaur V: The upper stage of the Vulcan rocket, whose new variant is configured for low Earth orbit to carry larger payloads of communications satellites.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO): An orbit close to Earth used by internet and communications satellites to reduce latency.