ULA's Vulcan Rocket Suffers Booster Malfunction During Launch

Rocket recovers and completes mission despite issues with one of four solid rocket boosters.

Feb. 12, 2026 at 6:15pm

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United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket experienced a malfunction with one of its four solid rocket boosters shortly after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Sparks and debris were observed near the throat of the affected booster, causing the rocket to twist on its axis before recovering and continuing its mission to deliver military satellites to orbit.

Why it matters

This is the second time in 16 months that the Vulcan rocket has experienced a booster malfunction, raising concerns about the reliability of the solid rocket boosters. The Vulcan is a critical launch vehicle for the US military and government, so any issues with its performance could impact future national security space missions.

The details

Moments after liftoff, a shower of sparks emerged from the exhaust plume of one of the Vulcan's four solid rocket boosters. This was followed by the rocket twisting on its axis before recovering and continuing the flight. ULA is investigating the root cause of the malfunction and will work to implement any necessary corrective actions before the next Vulcan mission.

  • The incident occurred less than 30 seconds after the Vulcan rocket lifted off at 4:22 am EST (09:22 UTC) on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
  • The rocket released a cloud of sparks and debris a little more than a minute into the flight.

The players

United Launch Alliance (ULA)

A 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin that manufactures and launches the Vulcan rocket.

Gary Wentz

ULA's vice president of Atlas and Vulcan programs.

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What they’re saying

“Early during flight, the team observed a significant performance anomaly on one of the four solid rocket motors. Despite the observation, the Vulcan booster and Centaur performed nominally and delivered the spacecraft directly to geosynchronous orbit.”

— Gary Wentz, Vice President of Atlas and Vulcan Programs, ULA

What’s next

ULA will conduct a thorough investigation, identify the root cause, and implement any corrective action necessary before the next Vulcan mission.

The takeaway

The Vulcan rocket's second booster malfunction in 16 months raises concerns about the reliability of its solid rocket boosters, which are critical components for the vehicle's performance on national security space missions. ULA will need to address this issue to maintain confidence in the Vulcan as a dependable launch system.