United Launch Alliance engineers and technicians complete a successful pathfinder exercise to assess procedures and operations in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in preparation for the first Vulcan Centaur launch in 2021.

The pathfinder used a mass simulator built specifically to mimic the mass of Vulcan Centaur’s core stage, as well as an outer diameter of 17.7 feet. The simulator was transported from the Port Canaveral wharf, where the R/S RocketShip will deliver Vulcan Centaur rockets, to ULA facilities for processing.