Vulcan Centaur 4L

VC4L

Mission Profile

The Vulcan Centaur 4L (VC4L) is a two-stage American launch vehicle in the Vulcan family, a configuration featuring four GEM-63XL solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur V upper stage for maximum performance under the NSSL programme. Standing 61.6 m tall with a 5.4 m diameter and a liftoff mass of 637 tonnes, it generates 11,560 kN of liftoff thrust and can deliver 16,300 kg to low Earth orbit or 7,700 kg to geostationary transfer orbit. First flying in October 2024, the Vulcan Centaur 4L provides the highest-performance configuration for the heaviest national security and commercial payloads.