Firefly Aerospace is a Texas-based private aerospace company that provides end-to-end space transportation services. It specializes in the development of small to medium-lift launch vehicles like the Alpha rocket and lunar landers such as Blue Ghost, along with on-orbit services using its Elytra space tug. Firefly works with partners like NASA and ESA, securing contracts for commercial lunar payload services and missions to the far side of the Moon. The company aims to provide affordable and reliable space access for government and commercial customers, contributing to lunar and cislunar exploration.
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Firefly Aerospace’s 7-axis robotic powermill can rotate rocket barrels up to 5.5 m (5.49 m) in diameter and includes a built-in dust collection system.
Firefly Aerospace’s automated fiber placement machine is being used to produce barrels, domes, and other composite structures for the first stage of Antares 330 and both stages of the Medium Launch Vehicle.
Firefly Aerospace increased its manufacturing space at Briggs from 92,000 to 207,000 square feet.
Firefly Aerospace now operates six test stands at its Briggs, Texas location.
Firefly Aerospace expanded its Cedar Park headquarters with a mezzanine to accommodate nearly twice as many employees.
Firefly Aerospace’s automated fiber placement machine was used to build the company’s first carbon composite barrel for Medium Launch Vehicle development testing.
Firefly Aerospace installed state-of-the-art machinery at Briggs to support production of Northrop Grumman’s Antares 330 and the Medium Launch Vehicle that Firefly and Northrop Grumman are co-developing.
Firefly Aerospace built a new higher-thrust engine stand at Briggs to test the Miranda and Vira engines with up to 104,326 kg of thrust.
Firefly Aerospace’s 7-axis robotic powermill can rotate rocket barrels up to 5.5 m (5.49 m) in diameter and includes a built-in dust collection system.
Firefly Aerospace built a new multi-bay engine test stand at Briggs to test Miranda and Vira engines with up to 104,326 kg of thrust.
Firefly Aerospace expanded its Cedar Park headquarters with a mezzanine to accommodate nearly twice as many employees.
Firefly Aerospace is using the AFP machine to fabricate carbon composite structures including barrels and domes for the first stage of Antares 330 and both stages of MLV.
Firefly Aerospace expanded its Cedar Park, Texas spacecraft facility with two new mission operations centers to support an increasing number of launch, lunar, and on-orbit missions.
Firefly Aerospace is supporting production of Northrop Grumman’s Antares 330 and the Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV) that Firefly and Northrop Grumman are co-developing.
Firefly Aerospace used the AFP machine to build its first carbon composite barrel for MLV development testing.
Firefly Aerospace more than doubled the size of its Briggs manufacturing facilities from 92,000 to 207,000 square feet.
Firefly Aerospace can produce all large carbon composite structures for the Alpha vehicle in seven days and for the MLV in 30 days using the AFP machine.
Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha upper stage experienced a software glitch that prevented it from completing a second burn during the 2023-12-22 Fly the Lightning mission.
Firefly Aerospace launched the Victus Nox mission for the U.S. Space Force on 2023-09-14, successfully placing a satellite built by Millennium Space into orbit.
The payload went to the wrong orbit following an upper stage problem with the Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket that launched the mission on 2023-12-22.