posted 02-22-2019 02:12 PM               

Firefly Aerospace Announces Mass Production Facility and Cape Canaveral Launch Site

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. (Firefly), a provider of economical and dependable launch vehicles, spacecraft and in-space services, announced today (Feb. 22) the execution of a binding term sheet with Space Florida, under which Firefly will establish business operations at Cape Canaveral Spaceport, including launch operations at historic Space Launch Complex 20 and manufacturing facilities at Exploration Park, Florida. Firefly's announcement is concurrent with its receipt of a Statement of Capability from the 45th Space Wing.

Above: Architect's rendering of the Firefly Aerospace Exploration Park manufacturing facility. (Firefly)

As Florida's spaceport development authority, Space Florida will enable the company's Florida operations by matching the company's infrastructure investments up to $18.9M via the Florida Department of Transportation Spaceport Improvement Program. Firefly will invest $52 million and will bring more than 200 high paying jobs to Florida.

"Firefly Aerospace is proud to be the newest member of the Florida Space Coast family," said Firefly CEO Dr. Tom Markusic. "Our mass production manufacturing facility in Exploration Park will enable Firefly to produce 24 Alpha vehicles a year, enabling a launch cadence that will support a rapidly expanding global small satellite revolution and the commercialization of cislunar space."

"Space Florida is pleased to welcome Firefly Aerospace to the Cape Canaveral Spaceport," said Frank DiBello, Space Florida President and CEO. "Firefly's presence in the State of Florida further solidifies that Florida's Spaceport System is poised to lead the world in this next space era. We look forward to the new launch and manufacturing capabilities that Firefly brings to SLC-20 and Exploration Park, respectively."

"The 45th Space Wing welcomes new launch providers who wish to assist in furthering America's assured access to space. The Statement of Capability represents an important first step for Firefly Aerospace to obtain certification for launch operations on the Eastern Range," according to John Way, 45th Space Wing spokesperson.

"SLC-20 will allow Firefly access to lower inclination orbital trajectories for its customers and enable access to lunar trajectories for its lander program as part of our Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract with NASA." stated Brad Obrocto, Firefly Director of Launch Operations.

"The space industry is expected to be fastest growing segment of the worldwide economy in the coming decades, with analysts predicting a global market of over a $1 trillion a year by 2040," said Firefly CEO Dr. Tom Markusic. "Firefly Aerospace is uniquely positioned to be successful in this new economy. With launch sites on both coasts and a mass production facility to support future growth, our global team of over 300 highly accomplished engineers and technicians will provide space solutions from LEO to the surface of the Moon and beyond."

About Firefly Aerospace

Firefly is developing a family of launch vehicles and in-space services that provide industry- leading affordability, convenience and reliability. Firefly's launch vehicles utilize common technologies, manufacturing infrastructure and launch capabilities, providing LEO launch solutions for up to four metric tons of payload. Combined with Firefly's in-space services, Firefly provides the space industry with access to frequent launches at the lowest cost/kg, enabling ambitious commercial and exploration missions from LEO to the Moon. Headquartered in Cedar Park TX, Firefly has additional presence in Washington, D.C., Dnipro, Ukraine and Tokyo, Japan. Firefly is financed by Noosphere Ventures of Menlo Park, CA.

posted 01-22-2020 10:07 PM               

Loading LOX. About to attempt first Alpha Stage 1 Qual hotfire.

During testing this evening we experienced a test anomaly resulting in a small fire on our test stand. The fire was quickly extinguished by our fire suppression systems on the stand and the local community emergency response team quickly responded.

Both the test stand and our rocket are intact. At no time was there any risk to individuals on site or the community.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused and we will be working with the local emergency response team to ensure that the local community is kept aware of actions in a timely manner.

We will be hosting a community day soon to explain what happened and answer any questions.

posted 01-23-2020 03:17 PM               

Firefly Aerospace maintains a 200-acre manufacturing and test facility in Briggs, Texas, 27 miles north of its headquarters.

On January 22, 2020, test engineers were conducting a planned test of the first stage of the company’s “Alpha” launch vehicle. The test was to be the first in a series of propulsion tests to verify design and operation of the stage, and involved a short, 5-second firing of the stage’s four engines.

At 6:23 pm local time, the stage’s engines were fired, and a fire broke out in the engine bay at the base of the rocket’s stage. The 5-second test was immediately aborted and the test facility’s fire suppression system extinguished the fire. The cause of the anomaly is under investigation. Firefly engineers are reviewing test data from the stage to identify potential causes for the test failure, and Firefly will share results of that investigation once it is complete.

Firefly is committed to workplace safety, and at no time during the test were Firefly operations personnel or the public in danger. Firefly is coordinating closely with local authorities and emergency response personnel as it investigates the anomaly and refines its contingency procedures.

posted 09-01-2021 08:44 PM               

Firefly announced Aug. 19 that it had set a Sept. 2 date for the first launch of its Alpha rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The announcement came a day after the small launch vehicle performed a successful 15-second static fire test on the pad at Vandenberg...

The inaugural Alpha launch will carry a payload called the Dedicated Research and Education Accelerator Mission (DREAM), a Firefly initiative to provide a free launch for academic and other private payloads. The launch will also test components of an orbital transfer vehicle the company is developing called the Space Utility Vehicle.

posted 09-02-2021 12:10 PM               

Firefly Aerospace/Everyday Astronaut live video

Firefly Aerospace is the next private rocket company that aims to achieve orbit with its brand new Alpha launch vehicle. Alpha will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, USA, and targets a 300 km low Earth orbit (LEO) in which it will deploy multiple payloads.

On board of the FLTA001 DREAM mission will be Firefly's DREAM payloads, which consist of technical and non-technical payloads, ranging from CubeSats and DNA samples, to pictures of loved ones.

posted 09-02-2021 08:23 PM               

We are GO for a recycle attempt. New T-0 is 01:59 UTC / 18:59 local time.

posted 09-02-2021 09:05 PM               

Alpha experienced an anomaly during first stage ascent that resulted in the loss of the vehicle. As we gather more information, additional details will be provided.

posted 09-03-2021 08:19 AM               

Firefly Aerospace First Tet Flight — Official Statement

Today [Sept. 2] we conducted the first-ever test flight of our Alpha rocket. Prior to the anomaly, we had a nominal countdown and lift off at 6:59 p.m. local time. While we did not meet all our mission objectives, we did achieve a number of them: successful first stage ignition, liftoff of the pad, progression to supersonic speed and we obtained a substantial amount of flight data.

More than two minutes into the flight, Alpha experienced an anomaly resulting in an early end of the mission. At Firefly, our goal is to always look out for the safety of our employees, partners and community. We are happy to report that there were no injuries associated with the anomaly.

While it's too early to draw conclusions as to the root cause, we will be diligent in our investigation, in partnership with the FAA and Vandenberg Space Force Base. We will utilize the data we obtained from the test flight and apply it to future missions. Our engineers are currently combing through thousands of lines of ground and flight system telemetry in order to better understand what occurred.

We want to thank the teams at Vandenberg Space Force Base and Space Launch Delta 30 for their partnership in this launch and the FAA for their continued support. We will be providing further updates as more information becomes available.

Firefly Alpha Terminated Mid-Flight

Space Launch Delta 30 terminated the Firefly Aerospace Inc., Alpha rocket over the Pacific Ocean at 7:01 p.m. Pacific Time after a successful lift off at 6:59 p.m. Pacific Time from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg SFB Sept. 2.

There were no injuries associated with the anomaly.

A team of investigators will convene to determine the cause of the failure.

More information will be released as it becomes available.

posted 09-05-2021 05:07 PM               

Firefly Alpha FLTA001

Firefly conducted the first flight test of our Alpha vehicle on September 2, 2021. Although the vehicle did not make it to orbit, the day marked a major advancement for the Firefly team, as we demonstrated that we "arrived" as a company capable of building and launching rockets. We also acquired a wealth of flight data that will greatly enhance the likelihood of Alpha achieving orbit during its second flight. In short, we had a very successful first flight.

Here are a few specific notes about the flight:

The vehicle released and cleared the pad correctly. The various connections and moving mechanisms connected to the rocket all worked correctly. The vehicle controlled itself perfectly off the pad, with thrust vectoring eliminating all tipping or rotation, and the vehicle increased in speed at the exact rate that was predicted in modelling.

About 15 seconds into the flight, engine 2 (there are four Reaver engines on the first stage) shut down. It was an uneventful shutdown – the engine didn't fail -- the propellant main valves on the engine simply closed and thrust terminated from engine 2.

The vehicle continued to climb and maintain control for a total of about 145 seconds, whereas nominal first stage burn duration is about 165 seconds. However, due to missing the thrust of 1 of 4 engines the climb rate was slow, and the vehicle was challenged to maintain control without the thrust vectoring of engine 2. Alpha was able to compensate at subsonic speeds, but as it moved through transonic and into supersonic flight, where control is most challenging, the three engine thrust vector control was insufficient and the vehicle tumbled out of control. The range terminated the flight using the explosive Flight Termination System (FTS). The rocket did not explode on its own.

Firefly has commenced a thorough anomaly investigation to gain understanding of why engine 2 shutdown early, and uncover any other relevant unexpected events during flight. We will report root cause of the anomaly at the end of this investigation. In collaboration with the FAA and our partners at Space Launch Delta 30, we will return to conduct the second Alpha flight as soon as possible.

This video montage shows the entire mission from a variety of camera angles. Enjoy.

posted 10-01-2022 12:12 PM               

Firefly Aerospace Successfully Reaches Orbit and Deploys Customer Payloads with its Alpha Rocket

Alpha becomes the first and only orbit-ready US rocket in the 1300kg payload vehicle class

Firefly Aerospace, a new space leader in launch, spacecraft, and in-space services, announced that its Alpha FLTA002 mission successfully reached orbit and deployed customer payloads, lifting off on October 1 at 12:01am PST from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

With the success of this mission, Firefly is now the first company to launch and reach orbit from US soil in only its second attempt. Firefly also becomes the first and only US commercial space company with a rocket ready to take customers to space in the highly desired 1300kg payload lift class.

"With the success of this flight, Firefly has announced to the world there is a new orbital launch vehicle, available today, with a capacity that is pivotal to our commercial and government customers," said Bill Weber, Firefly CEO. "Proving our flight and deployment capabilities on only our second attempt is a testament to the maturity of our technology and the expertise of our team. This is an exciting day at Firefly, and we have many, many more ahead. I could not be more excited for the Firefly team."

Alpha is an all-composite rocket that uses patented tap-off engine cycle technology, which reduces cost and improves efficiency while maintaining the strength and reliability of the rocket. During the mission, Alpha successfully completed all major technical milestones, including a two-burn maneuver, relighting the second stage during its first orbital flight.

"I am so proud of everyone in the company, both past and present, who have shared my dream of starting a launch company that would further revolutionize the space economy," said Tom Markusic, Firefly Founder and Chief Technology Advisor. "The Firefly team set out to develop the best small launch vehicle in the world. Mission accomplished!"

Building on today's success, Firefly is completing the Acceptance Testing Protocol (ATP) for its Alpha 3 vehicle in preparation for its upcoming NASA VCLS Demo 2-FB ELaNa 43 launch. In addition, Firefly continues the production of multiple rockets at its Texas manufacturing facilities using all the lessons learned from existing flights and testing. Firefly is scheduled for six Alpha launches to take customer payloads to space in 2023, and 12 more in 2024.

Alpha FLTA002 Mission Details

The flight began with a nominal countdown and lift-off at 12:01 AM PDT and progressed flawlessly through each stage of flight, then inserting into an elliptical transfer orbit, coasting to apogee, and performing a circularization burn with confirmation of final payload deployment at approximately T+1 hour, which is one of the most technically challenging aspects of the mission.

FLTA002 deployed a total of three payloads, including demonstration satellites from NASA TechEdSat-15 in conjunction with San Jose State University (SJSU), Teachers in Space, and Libre Space Foundation. These payloads will perform several in-space experiments, including an "exo-brake" to help in the deorbiting of satellites and test the world's first fully-free and open-source telecommunications constellation.

Firefly sends special thanks to SLD-30 for their continued support and partnership and the customers on FLTA002 for their dedication and unwavering confidence in Firefly's technology.

Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners, LP ("AEI"), a private equity firm specializing in aerospace, defense & government services, space, power & utility services, and specialty industrial markets.