THIS IS MORE LIKE THE 21ST CENTURY I WAS PROMISED: ULA pitches ‘space interceptor’ role for Vulcan rocket’s upper stage.

ULA CEO Tory Bruno discussed this vision at the Spacepower Conference, positioning the Vulcan Centaur not just as a launch vehicle but as a potential orbital deterrent against adversaries targeting Space Force assets.

“Our vision is the ability to have a platform that is lightning fast, long range, and, if necessary, very lethal,” Bruno said Dec. 12. “What I’ve been working on is essentially a rocket that operates in space.”

Bruno has long advocated expanded capabilities for the Centaur upper stage. In 2020, he outlined plans for an enhanced Centaur V featuring increased energy, thrust, and duration capabilities to enable complex trajectories and ambitious future missions. More recently, he has promoted a “high-performance, long-duration” version that could operate for days or weeks in support of U.S. military operations.

Related: The US military is now talking openly about going on the attack in space.