Vulcan Cert-2

Vulcan flew its second and final certification flight for National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions, the US government's program for launching military and intelligence satellites. Dream Chaser, Sierra Space's uncrewed spaceplane, was to fly first, but schedule delays led United Launch Alliance (ULA) to carry a mass simulator and experiments and demonstrations for future Centaur V upper stage technologies instead.

About 37 seconds after liftoff, the nozzle of one of the two solid rocket boosters fell off, sending debris through the exhaust plume. The booster burned for its full 90 seconds, but its thrust was reduced and asymmetric, and the vehicle tilted slightly before the guidance system and main engines corrected, extending their burn by roughly 20 seconds. The rocket reached its planned orbit.