Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP situational awareness payloads direct to geosynchronous orbit over 10h launch period – Feb 12 with 330-530 AM ET window. For the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Jean Wright / SpaceUpClose.com
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL – After several weather related delays and for only the fourth time the ULA Vulcan Centaur rocket is planned to lift off on Thursday, Feb. 12 on a national security mission for the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida
The ULA Vulcan will be carrying the USSF-87 mission for the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) to a near-geosynchronous orbit supporting the U.S. Space Command space surveillance operations.
Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP situational awareness payloads direct to geosynchronous orbit over 10h launch period – Feb 12 with 330-530 AM ET window. For the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Jean Wright / SpaceUpClose.com
Launch is planned for 3:30 a.m. EST, Feb. 12, 2026 with a two-hour window.
Today’s forecast shows a 95 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch.
Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP situational awareness payloads direct to geosynchronous orbit over 10h launch period – Feb 12 with 330-530 AM ET window. For the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.com
Enjoy our prelaunch photos from the Space UpClose team of Ken Kremer and Jean Wright
ULA Vulcan will launch in the VC4S configuration with 4 GEM 63XL solids attached to the first stage
Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP situational awareness payloads direct to geosynchronous orbit over 10h launch period – Feb 12 with 330-530 AM ET window. For the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.com
“The primary payload on USSF-87 is the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) space system,” said the Space Force in a press release.
Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP situational awareness payloads direct to geosynchronous orbit over 10h launch period – Feb 12 with 330-530 AM ET window. For the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.com
“GSSAP is a space-based capability operating in a near-geosynchronous orbit supporting the U.S. Space Command space surveillance operations as dedicated Space Surveillance Network (SSN) sensors. The demonstration system is designed to test new technologies to enhance resiliency and protection for future programs of record.”
A two-hour launch window is planned for Feb. 12, 2026 between 3:30-5:30 a.m. EST (12:30-2:30 a.m. PST).
Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP situational awareness payloads direct to geosynchronous orbit over 10h launch period – Feb 12 with 330-530 AM ET window. For the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.com
Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP situational awareness payloads direct to geosynchronous orbit over 10h launch period – Feb 12 with 330-530 AM ET window. For the US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.comKen Kremer of Space UpClose is Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP Feb 12 with 330 ET. For US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.comKen Kremer of Space UpClose is Up close with ULA Vulcan VC4S with 4 GEM 63XL solids! Launching USSF-87 national security GSSAP Feb 12 with 330 ET. For US Space Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer / SpaceUpClose.com
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news. Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics. Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events.
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