Alpha – Spaceflight Now

August 18, 2019

Breaking News

[ August 17, 2019 ] China’s Jielong 1 smallsat launcher successful on first flight Mission Reports
[ August 16, 2019 ] NASA directs Alabama space center to manage lunar lander program Mission Reports
[ August 16, 2019 ] Live coverage: Rocket Lab launch delayed to Monday Mission Reports
[ August 15, 2019 ] Smallsat companies teaming up on deorbit experiment Mission Reports
[ August 15, 2019 ] Photos: Atlas 5 blasts off with U.S. Air Force communications payload Atlas 5

Firefly offering free launch for research and educational payloads

June 18, 2019

Firefly Aerospace is asking academic institutions, startup companies and the public to submit ideas for payloads to launch, free of charge, on the inaugural orbital flight of the company’s Alpha rocket next year from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Firefly’s commercial satellite launcher to use Delta 2 pad at Vandenberg

May 2, 2018

A commercial rocket under development by Firefly Aerospace will conduct its first orbital test flight in 2019 from a launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California that will become vacant with the retirement of the venerable Delta 2 booster later this year, the company announced Tuesday.

NASA to fly CubeSats on three new commercial launchers

October 16, 2015

NASA announced Wednesday it is joining a chorus of companies pushing for easier access to space, awarding $17.1 million in contracts to three firms developing new launchers tailored for lifting lightweight satellites into orbit.