Vulcan Rocket Launches, Kicking Off First U.S. Moon Race in Decades

A powerful new rocket from United Launch Alliance blasted off Monday, taking with it a vehicle expected to make the first U.S. lunar landing in more than half a century.

The Vulcan Centaur rocket, which took to the skies from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:18 a.m. local time, included the Peregrine Lunar Lander vehicle which, if successful, would carry out the first lunar exploration since the final Apollo mission in 1972.