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.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Firefly Aerospace expects to be able to perform monthly Alpha launches by the end of 2020.
On 2018-05-01 the United States Air Force issued a "Statement of Support for the Firefly Aerospace Program, Alpha and Beta Launch Vehicles" to utilize Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 2 West for future launches of the Firefly Alpha and Beta launch vehicles.
Firefly Aerospace is seeking to launch commercial satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 2 West.
Firefly Aerospace planned Alpha’s first flight for the third quarter of 2019 and planned to ramp up to monthly launches by the end of 2020 as a result of using an existing launch site.
SLC-2W will be modified to support Beta, although Firefly Aerospace has not announced a Beta launch date.
Firefly Aerospace has received U.S. Air Force approval to take over Space Launch Complex 2 West (SLC-2W) at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The 30th Space Wing is working with Firefly Aerospace at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Alpha is a two-stage vehicle using liquid oxygen and kerosene engines developed by Firefly Aerospace.
Deep Space Industries has a contract to provide 20 Comet thrusters to LeoStella, the joint venture of Spaceflight Industries and Thales Alenia Space, for the BlackSky imaging-satellite constellation, under a deal disclosed on 2018-04-03.