Nearly a decade after United Launch Alliance (ULA), the rocket-launching joint venture between (NYSE: BA) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), announced it would build a new Vulcan Centaur rocket with American engines to replace its existing fleet of Russian-powered Atlas V rockets, the new rocket roared off the launchpad successfully early Monday morning.

Vulcan departed Cape Canaveral carrying Astrobotic Technology's Peregrine lunar lander on a mission to deposit multiple payloads on the Moon. Unfortunately for Astrobotic, the Peregrine had to abandon its mission. But as for the Vulcan, that rocket flew just fine.

Monday's mission was the first of two launches that ULA will perform to win U.S. Space Force certification to use the rocket on national security missions. ULA plans to launch a second Vulcan in April, sending a Dream Chaser space plane to the International Space Station for Sierra Space.

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Source Fool.com