Alpha

After completing integration of the Alpha first and second stages, the Flight 7 vehicle is vertical on the pad at Vandenberg and will be fueled and run through prelaunch checks.

The replacement Alpha first stage is being prepared for shipment to Vandenberg to be integrated with the second stage and put through a static fire campaign before launch, subject to range availability between late fourth quarter and early first quarter schedule windows.

In May, Alpha demonstrated its autophage propulsion system during a six-day test campaign confirming stable ignition and controlled combustion.

Alpha will grow from approximately 97 feet to about 104 feet in length with enhanced structural robustness due to carbon composite materials.

Firefly will provide up to six Alpha launches for SSTL from 2020 through 2022.

Under the agreement, ISILAUNCH will offer its customers multiple dedicated and rideshare launch opportunities on Firefly’s Alpha launch vehicle beginning in 2020.

Firefly Aerospace’s Florida facility at Cape Canaveral will ultimately be capable of producing an estimated 24 Alpha rockets per year.

Firefly Aerospace scheduled its Alpha launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for a date described as occurring a few short weeks after 2021-01-26.

Firefly Aerospace is collaborating with the FAA and Space Launch Delta 30 and plans to return to conduct the second Alpha flight as soon as possible.

The Hyper Factory in the Australian Space Park will design, engineer, and manufacture the Alpha small satellite constellation.

Fleet Space Technologies plans to build Alpha satellites in a "hyper factory" at the new Australian Space Park in Adelaide.

Each Alpha satellite will carry three optical communications terminals and will include Ka-band and Link 16 payloads.

Firefly Aerospace's accomplishments include their orbital Alpha flight and facility expansion.

Upon launching on Alpha, Firefly’s Elytra vehicle will use the FANTM-RiDE dispenser to first deploy commercial rideshare payloads in Sun-synchronous orbit.

Alpha satellites carry optical communications terminals, Ka-band communications payloads, and Link 16 data transmission payloads.

Under the agreement, Firefly’s Alpha rocket will launch Lockheed Martin spacecraft into low Earth orbit from Firefly’s west-coast and east-coast facilities.

Firefly Aerospace expanded its Briggs, Texas facility and installed a new automated fiber placement machine to rapidly build and test Alpha’s carbon composite structures in days rather than weeks.

As part of the PDR, Alpha is studying how its propulsion system could create a cheaper OTV with Meridian by reducing the overall weight necessary to reach further orbits.

Alpha and Meridian are exploring the demand for OTVs and multi-orbit missions for future missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Firefly Aerospace is offering the engines it developed for Alpha to external customers.